Naruto: Kitsune Warrior
by XInsanityXGuiltechXShadowwindX
Summary: Naruto finds himself about to die. Kyuubi saves him and gives him an opportunity. What is the choice? Why was he chosen? What the hell is Kyuubi thinking? Read to find out! Pairings undecided. DISCONTINUED!
1. Chapter 1

This is another new one for me. I'll be putting the others on hold for the time being while I work on this one.

In any case, I hope you enjoy this one, that isn't meant as a crossover. My first that isn't supposed to be a one shot.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

Chapter: 1

Naruto isn't a typical 4 year old. He is a Jinchuuriki, and the one for the most powerful Bijuu in the Elemental Nations. He doesn't realize why he is attacked any point the villagers can take. He has yet to realize what is going happen soon.

Naruto, as usual was running from a mob. This one was the biggest yet, and he was losing his breath. A few of them were drunk, and he lost them quickly. The Ninja on him, however, was another story. They were keeping up with him, and he was running out of breath. He finally got into a hiding place, when he heard a voice.

"_**Hey, Naruto. You want them off your tail?"**_ Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin. If he wasn't hiding he definitely would have. **_"Relax kid. I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I'm willing to help you out. Just think what you want to say to me."_**

_'Okay then. Who are you?'_

"_**Right now, that's not important. However, if you are willing to trust me on this, I will get you out of this situation. I may have to kill a few of them, but if that happens, it's because there is little chance of doing so otherwise."** The voice said._

_'If you can get these guys off my back for some time, I don't see why I shouldn't. If I die, though, I'm blaming you.'_

"_**I don't intend on letting you die, which is the only reason I'm offering. However, I'll try not to kill to kill them. If you could, calm your nerves, and close your eyes. This may hurt a bit."**_

Naruto closed his eyes, he felt a little sting in his body and mind. When his eyes opened, they were not their normal cerulean orbs. They were now red with black slits. _**'I thank you for doing this. I hope I don't I don't disappoint.'**_

Naruto jumped out, with more speed than he had before. The villagers had noticed him, but he disregarded them. He seldom knew the area. There was one place that they wouldn't follow. He made it to a forest closed with a fence. Naruto had jumped over the fence, and the only ones who had any idea about the place he entered stopped at the outside of the fence. "You think he could survive in there?" One of them asked.

"Somehow, I doubt it." Another one said.

"Good riddance." A third said.

-With Naruto-

Naruto had found a clearing, he was wondering why he was where he was at. _**"Alright kid. You're safe here, for the time being. I'll switch back with you, and give you a few instructions so we can meet."**_ He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he opened them, his eyes were blue once more.

_'Ok, what do I have to do?'_ Naruto asked the weird voice.

"_**Sit down, cross legged. Relax all your muscles, and thoughts. Clear your head of everything. Once you have done that, you may find yourself in a different place. When you do, I will give you the rest of the directions."**_

_'Alright. You better not be wasting my time with this.'_ Naruto sat down, and did as he was asked.

Within seconds, the landscape changed from a Forest to a Sewer. "Whoa. Where am I?"

"**I see you made it. Walk down the corridor, until you find a cage. From there, we will talk."**

Naruto nodded, thinking it reached the guy. He started walking and found a room with no clear ceiling, and cage that had a tag with the Kanji for Seal on it. "Alright, so who are you? And why am I looking at you right now?"

"**Heh, I'm surprised you actually listened to me thus far. In any case, I'm glad. You may know me as the Kyuubi no Yoko. I know you may not trust me after what happened, but at least let me explain the situation before you judge."** The Kyuubi said.

"Whoa. I didn't see that coming. Okay, I'll listen to what you have to say. After all, you did get me out of there without so much as a scratch, to me, or them." Naruto replied.

"**Thank you. For starters I wasn't myself on the day that I attacked. I was under control of some Genjutsu from a Sharingan. A powerful one at that. However, the one who placed it, was supposed to be dead."**

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"**Well, he was alive over 100 years ago, when your Village was founded. But that's not the point. The Genjutsu he placed on me was enough to enhance my bloodlust to levels far beyond my own control. I lost any sense of reason while under that accursed Jutsu, and I couldn't reverse it. I was able to hold it back for about 10 seconds, in order to tell your Yondaime Hokage... to stop me whatever the cost. With no time left, he sealed me into you. However, his last words to you surprised me."**

"What do you mean?" Naruto cocked his head.

"**The last things he said was this: I only hope the village treats you as a hero, my son, even though I doubt they will. Study hard, Eat right, and try not to go berserk like your mother. She should be around to help you."** The Kyuubi paused to let it sink in.

"Well, if you didn't notice, I don't know who my mother was. I've been an orphan all my life. At least now I know that my father saved the village, from an out of control beast, with no choice in the matter."

"**I realized that. I took a look into your memories. That's why, I intend to help you. I will teach you what I know, and since I am currently sealed within you, you can use my Youki as your Chakra. Do you know what that is?"**

Naruto shook his head. "The old man said he would teach me a few things later on in life. Still, he never told me that my own father sealed you into me. I see why he did it though. Why would he do that to someone else's child, when he wouldn't do so to his own first?"

"**Well, I can tell you more about your father than your mother. I only know your mother's name. After a bit of your training, ask that Hokage of yours about the Red Death, Kushina Uzumaki. She is supposed to be your mother, and as far as I know, alive. I would know whether I killed her or not, regardless of the state I was in. I was watching everything happen, without any way to stop myself. For that I'm sorry. I know that you probably can't forgive me for any of that..."**

"I forgive you." Naruto interrupted. **"But I hope... Wait. You actually forgive me for this?"**

"Why shouldn't I? If this guy really influenced you with some Genjutsu, why wouldn't I forgive you? I mean, it's not like you had much of a choice in the matter. You were probably caught off guard."

The Kyuubi started to shed a tear. "Is that a tear? Why would you cry at a time like this?" Naruto asked.

"**I'm just... happy. I didn't think anyone would understand that I could be nice. Especially after that little incident with Madara."**

"Madara?" The Fox in front of him nodded. **"Madara Uchiha. He was the leader of the Uchiha clan way back when. Supposedly, he died after trying to attack Hashirama Senju, the Shodai Hokage. He was reported to be killed. The events leading up to my sealing into you proves that false. He is still very much alive. How, I don't know. In any case, I believe that you and I together can stop him."**

"What makes you say that?" Naruto asked.

"**Because, I'm going to train you in the ways of a Ninja. On my behalf, and that of your entire village, you will be the one to defeat him. The combined might between your impressive stamina, and my massive amounts of Youki, we can be a more powerful warrior together than most Chuunin are by the time 3 years go by."**

"Sweet!" Naruto was ecstatic.

"**Don't get so hasty. I may be training you, but I won't go easy on you. You don't have that luxury. With the village in constant hate for you, you have to train in ways that would normally kill someone your age. However, the amount of Chakra you possess is more than the average Chuunin, without resorting to my Youki. Your control with it will pretty much be fucked up, so the first thing you're going to work on is Chakra Control. At the same time, you will be learning about Shinobi life, customs, blah blah blah. The information my not seem important, however, as a Ninja, information is key."**

"Information is key... so you're saying that without the right information, you could fail at almost anything, maybe lose your life if you make a mistake in the wrong situation?" Naruto said.

"**You catch on quick for someone your age. I will be teaching you everything you could possibly learn, and also that you will need to know. In addition, the seal weakens with your rage, so you will also have to meditate. After you have a little control over your chakra, I will teach you something that will help you progress faster. Until then, you will focus on basic knowledge, meditation, and Chakra Control. Remember, the Jutsu I will be teaching you at that point is counted as forbidden by your Hokage. I will go into more depth on it when the time comes."**

Naruto nodded. "Okay, so the forest we're in. Why is this a safe place?"

"**In truth, it's not that safe of a place, but I know the villagers and the majority of Ninja don't go in here if they don't have to."**

"I see. This forest has a reputation. Do you know what kind of rep it has?"

"**It's called the Forest of Death because the animals of the forest tend to kill anyone that gets too close."**

"That makes sense. This is a safe place for me to be. I doubt most of them will attack me with you inside of me, so we're good for the time being. I mean you are powerful."

"**Yet another reason I chose this place. The Forest happens to be my home territory. This is known as the Forest of Death, but as long as I'm within you, they will not attack you. At least, they shouldn't. Now, I will explain one more thing before we finish up here. You will be in here for a few days, working on meditation. The reason being, is that it increases awareness, and also helps you gain more rest than you'd get in a bed."**

"Okay, anything else I should know?"

"**Meditation is how you got in here in the first place. If you want a better mindscape to look at, you can change it. Just, if you do, you mind changing this area? It gets cramped in here, and it is somewhat stuffy."**

Naruto chuckled. "I already have an idea for that. You could say I've been wanting to change that sewer from the moment I got here, but didn't think I could. Good to know that I can. It makes me feel like my mind is in the gutter."

"**Well then, I'm glad."**

"Okay then, close your eyes for a second." The Kyuubi did so. Naruto closed his, as well. When Naruto open his eyes, it didn't look like a sewer anymore. He was in a meadow, with a forest to one side. A cottage, as well. "Okay, you can open them up, now."

The Kyuubi did so and looked around. **"Wow. You did a nice job. Is that a cottage?"**

"Sure is. I put a forest over there so you can feel somewhat at home. By the way, is there another form that you have? I don't think you'd fit in the cottage like that." Naruto said.

"**You know what? I'm starting to like you, Naruto-kun. I suppose showing you my Human form will be okay."** The Fox started glowing red. When the glow died down, there was a girl there.

Naruto stared at the girl... no woman, standing in front of him. She had Red hair, Blood Red eyes, and a perfect tan. Her breasts were an amazing C cup. Her skin looked like it was made of silk, or something softer. Her lips were full, her figure was literally flawless. The one thing Naruto thought was missing: Clothing. She was completely naked. **"You like what you see?"**

Naruto was dumbfounded. "Wha..." he shook his head. "Sorry, I just didn't see that coming. One question. Could you put some clothes on? I don't think I need to see some of what I just saw. Too young or something."

The woman giggled. **"Nice, even to someone like me. Considerate, as well. Unless... you're not..."**

Naruto instantly saw what she was about to ask. "OH HELL NO! I am, by no means, like that. I just have more respect for women than I do myself."

"**Well then, I think I will indulge that little request."** She was suddenly dressed in a Blood red Kimono, with what seemed to be a herself in her Demon form over her chest. On the back of it, there was the Kanji for Queen of the Forests. There were a few more foxes littered all over the Kimono.

"**Better?"** Naruto nodded. "This is a lot better. This way, I don't get distracted while trying to learn."

Kyuubi giggled at that. **"Clueless, aren't you?"**

"Pardon?"

"**Nothing. Anyway, you remember the pose you sat in to get here?"** A nod. **"Get into that pose in here as well. Concentration and a clear mind are key here. It will help you stay in control over your emotions."**

"The point of meditating is to gain control of my emotions, but what is the real cause of me going through this?"

"**When you lose your temper, you get more reckless, and can fall victim to more losses. The possibility of losing your life is also there, especially in a Life or Death fight. Your life has been that way every day so far. This will help you out, in more ways than one."**

"Alright, I get it." Naruto sat down, and tried to concentrate. He was like that for 3 hours before he tensed. "I'm picking something up outside. Someone else is in the forest." He opened his eyes. "It seems like snakes."

"**I sense it, too. Shall I go?"**

"No, I want to see who it is myself. You said that few people ever come in here and leave. This person seems oddly at peace with the fact she's in the forest. If I had to guess, she's a frequent visitor." Naruto said. Kyuubi nodded. **"Just know that if it comes to a fight, I'll be helping you out."**

"I know. I don't have any fighting experience just yet." Naruto said before he got up and left the mindscape.

-outside-

Naruto opened his eyes, Cerulean orbs blazing with fire. "Alright, they seem to be in that direction."

Naruto jumped onto a tree branch, and went even further, traveling more like a fox, jumping from branch to branch. It wasn't long before he found the other person in the forest. Him coming up to her surprised her so much she was getting ready to attack him. "Hey, are you a regular visitor here?" Naruto said.

The woman looked like she wanted to seduce someone. "Who are you? Why are you in here? It's dangerous!"

"When your life is in danger 24/7 in the village, this place is probably better." Naruto told her. "What's your name, anyway?"

Anko relaxed her guard a bit. "Anko. Anko Mitarashi. What about you?"

"Naruto. I won't give a surname, because i don't know if it's the real one or not."

"Are you an orphan, or something?" Anko asked.

"Yeah, my parents both died by the Kyuubi." _'Don't say anything on that, because I know you didn't kill one of them, and the other neither of us are sure if she's alive.'_ "Anyway, the village seems to hate me, and I like the forest. I came in here, and it seems that no one bothers to come in here."

"Well then, you should probably head back to the orphanage. They're probably worr... Okay, on second thought, I don't think it's a good idea. If the village hates you, then you may have been kicked out of the orphanage."

"Well... I was kicked out sometime last month. Anyway, I was thinking of staying here until things settle down in the village. They might forget about me in a few days, so I'll be staying in here for that time, probably work on Ninja skills while I am." Naruto said.

Anko was a little shocked. "How old are you Naruto?"

"Uh... 4, why?" Naruto replied.

"Well, if you're hated by the village, then by all means stick around. I have no problems hanging around someone else the village hates." Anko said, her voice getting a little down.

Naruto noticed this and looked at her. "Hey, there's a clearing just ahead. We could go over there. I may only be 4 years old, but given what I already know, my Chakra Control sucks. You think you can help with that?"

Anko looked up at him in surprise. "You would want me to help you?"

"Why not? It's not like anyone will miss us for being in here. We could find out a few things about each other while we're at it." Naruto replied with a smile. Anko looked at him. "Alright then, let's go. I'll help you with what I know, and Chakra Control Exercises. Then again, since you're only four, I doubt you know much about Chakra in the first place."

"I have somewhat basic knowledge of it. How else would I know that my control sucks? Much less why it sucks." Naruto said. Anko nodded.

"I got you. Let's get over there, and I'll help." Anko said, before Naruto turned around.

"It's over here. Let's go." Naruto jumped off towards the clearing with Anko right behind him. He heard the voice of the Kyuubi.

"_**Hey, why are you letting her train you in control?"**_

_'Because she can actually monitor my progress in real time. Besides, in a way, she's like me. I could see it in her eyes. She is hated in the village for something out of her control. As am I, but I've come to peace with my burden. In fact, it seems like I made a friend in it.'_

"_**Cute. Anyway, a little advice. During Chakra Control, you need to keep yourself focused. Meditation also helps in that. Remember that."**_

_'Got it.'_ Naruto replied.

They both reached the clearing about a minute later. Anko looked at him. "Well, what exercises have you been doing, so far?"

"I've only been trying meditation. Nothing on Chakra Control just yet. From what I know, focus is a key element in Chakra control. Am I right on that?" Naruto asked, earning a nod from Anko.

"Quite right. I'm surprised you already know this without doing the exercises once." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly.

"In any case, I think you should start by taking a leaf and keeping it stuck to your forehead." Anko said as she found a leaf and plucked it. "What you want here is to keep it on your forehead, without moving you body to keep the gravity from taking it."

"Simple version?" Naruto asked.

"Stand up straight, and keep it on your forehead at the same time. That's what you have to do." Anko stated. Naruto nodded, and tried it. He put it to his forehead, and it stayed there for a few seconds. It fell right afterward. "Well, you have better control than I thought, based on what you said. Tell me, why would your Control suck?"

"Large amounts of it. And by Large, I mean Hokage Monument Large." Naruto said. Anko just looked at him. "I did a bit of looking into myself while I was meditating. That's how I know." Anko nodded.

"Well, when you can do this for a total of 3 minutes straight, that means you've basically completed the exercise, and can move on. I already know of the next two exercises, but those will have to wait." Anko said causing him to nod. "In any case, meditation seems like a good way to learn to focus. Mind if I give it a try?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't see why not. I just sit down, relax all of my thoughts, and emotions. Clear my mind, and boom. I got meditation." Anko nodded.

"Well then, I'll be starting up with that. See how far it takes me." he nodded, and went back to trying to keep the leaf on his forehead. Anko was completely aware of everything after about 5 minutes of meditation. She even felt how much chakra Naruto had. She couldn't see the true nature of the majority of it, but she could tell he had more than he said he did. She was surprised when she found that out, but didn't shake the meditation.

-2 hours later-

Naruto had kept the leaf on his head for a max of 1 minute, 32 seconds. He was getting better, but was starting to get impatient. Anko was still meditating. Naruto chose to sit down right next to her and start meditating himself. He realized that getting impatient was counter productive, so he decided to start meditating again, not realizing what would happen.

-Naruto's mindscape-

Naruto had arrived in his mindscape. He saw Kyuubi immediately. **"You found yourself getting impatient and started meditating? You're getting better."**

"I see that. In any case, do you think I should go for it some more in here?" Naruto asked before an unexpected visitor popped in.

Anko found herself in a luscious field, filled with flowers, with a forest nearby, and a cottage. "Where am I?"

Her question caught the attention of the 2 already in the area. "Anko? What are you doing here?"

Anko turned around to find Naruto with a red head. "Naruto? Who is this?"

"**He didn't tell you the reason the village hates him. That reason is me."**

"Anko, I don't know how to say this without you freaking out, but this is the Kyuubi no Yoko. Remember when I said I did a little self searching?" Anko looked at him strangely. She nodded. "This is what I found. She wanted to help train me, and told me that, due to my massive Chakra levels, my control would suck." Naruto told her.

Anko looked at Kyuubi again. **"You do realize it is impolite to stare, right?"**

"Uh... Sorry. I just didn't expect this. Just... where am I? This isn't anything like the Forest of Death."

"This is my mindscape. I'm not sure how it happened, but when I started to meditate, you popped in here." Naruto said. "At least it's not a sewer."

"**True. However, I do have an idea as to why she ended up here. It could be because the two of you are both meditating right next to each other."**

"Are you sure about that?" Naruto asked.

"**Not entirely. It's a possibility, but that's about it."**

"Well then, I think it would be a good idea to meditate in here, as well." Naruto said. "Anko, this is double the Focusing experience... At least, I think it is." Naruto started to meditate in the mindscape.

Anko decided to ask a few questions. "Hey, if you're the Kyuubi, why are you not trying to take over his mind? The way everyone else portrays you, you're a cold-hearted and mindless beast. Then again, the way I see you right now is nothing like I had heard."

"**I have no intention of taking over his mind. The reason being I have chosen him to help me with my own revenge. Since I can't do so myself."**

Anko tensed. **"It's not revenge against the village, if that's what you're thinking. No, I'm grateful that the Yondaime sealed me instead of killing me. The one I want dead is the one to put a powerful Genjutsu, that not even I could break free of, on me. Thanks to that bastard, I was forced to attack your village. I was conscious the whole time, but not in control of my own bloodlust. I want that guy dead, and I feel Naruto could help me with that. He couldn't do so as he is now, and that's one reason I wanted to train him."**

"Wait, you wanted to train him? Why?"

"**Because, regardless of what he's been through, he doesn't blame the village. He has a strong will. One not even a god can sway. The third reason, is because his heart is pure. He has more respect for women, than he does himself... at least that's what he told me. And this is when I was completely naked. He actually asked me to put some clothing on."**

"Wow. Didn't think he was like that. Hang on... His surname is Uzumaki isn't it?"

"**Yes, it is."**

"That means that his mother is Kushina Uzumaki. She is one of the last Uzumaki, and the only one to ever step foot in Konoha in my life. My mother was on somewhat good terms with her... before she died." Anko looked down.

"**Please tell me that I didn't kill her. If I did..."**

"No, it wasn't you that killed my mother. She died 2 months beforehand. However, I've been in touch with Kushina. As of now, I'm the only one. If Naruto is her son, then you'd have to work him to the bone on controlling his anger. Especially if he gets pissed off. It's even worse if he inherited his mother's temper."

"**I know. An Uzumaki's temper is as bad, if not worse, than an Akimichi. Even though different things piss them off, when they are pissed off, either you'll end up in the hospital, or a casket. This is in either case."**

"Tell me about it. The only one that could ever calm Kushina down was her friend Minato. I always wondered why the two never married."

"**They probably did, just kept it secret. I doubt you'd be able to tell anyone, but his father is the Yondaime. I know his mother is an Uzumaki, and from what you've said, Kushina Uzumaki is the only possible candidate for his mother."**

"Damn! Can you say score?" Anko yelled.

"**SCORE!"** Kyuubi yelled, causing Anko to look at her. They both laughed.

"**Try and get some meditation done in here. It should help better than just doing so out there. I'll bonk you both on the head before it gets too late to do anything. That way, you can get home before it gets too late, Anko."**

"Thanks. You know, you're not that bad. Definitely, not as bad as people say." Kyuubi was flushed. "Anyway, I'll get to meditation." Anko sat down and started to meditate in the mindscape.

Two hours went by, and they were both bonked on the head. Naruto and Anko both grabbed the hand that was going for them. **"Nice reflexes."**

"Kyuubi-sensei, you were the one that said meditation allows you to remain alert and still gain rest, thus increasing awareness." Naruto said.

"You know what kid? I'm thinking of letting you stay at my place. We outcasts gotta stick together." Anko said.

"You really mean that?"

"**I wouldn't be surprised if she did."**

"Well, I'm serious. I'd have to talk it over with the Hokage first, but I will find a way to get you to live with me. Both of us are hated in the village, and there is strength in numbers." Anko said, causing Kyuubi to nod.

"**Are you sure about this, Anko? You really want us to live in your own home?"**

"Why not? You're a lot nicer than most think. Naruto is also a lot better than most would think." Anko said. "He just needs to be led down the right path, and for that he needs a friend. I'm willing to be that friend. I may not be a Jinchuuriki, but I'm not one of those sons of a bitch who would attack someone without a good reason. At this point, I don't see a reason to hurt him. In fact, I can also help with getting him in touch with his mother."

Naruto and Kyuubi looked at each other, then at Anko. "I'm game."

"**As am I. You know, I could get used to this. I can work on his skills at night, when he's asleep, while you work on them during the day when he's awake."**

"Well, since I'm a Chuunin right now, I could give you some advice in Ninja techniques from time to time, and other places." Anko said, a smirk appearing on her face.

"**Don't even think about it. If I find out you did something to him in his sleep, you will be in pain."**

"I didn't intend to go that far. You think I should tell the Hokage some of the things I found out?"

"Please, don't tell him I've started talking with Kyuu-chan just yet. I think that is something to keep to ourselves."

"**Along with the fact he knows who both of his parents are. Those should not be said. Especially if a law states that no one is to tell him."**

"There is. On both subjects, and with what happened that night. Don't worry. I won't tell a soul what I've found out here. Just know that if you're in trouble, I'll help out... as long as I'm not eating Dango. I zone out when I am, and completely ignore my surroundings. Don't tell anyone I said that." Anko said.

Kyuubi and Naruto nodded.

"We'll stay in the forest for the time being. Continue working on Chakra control and meditation."

"**I'll also be helping out with your studies."** Kyuubi said. **"By the way, if you need to talk about me outside, call me Akane. That's my actual name."**

"Akane? Unusual name, but what do I know? You're a Yoko. Names are probably different from Humans."

"**Actually I'm a Kitsune, and you're not that dumb. You figured it out. Quicker than even I thought."**

Anko just blushed.

"I think I should get going. I'll let the Hokage know that Naruto will be staying in here for a few days, and what I plan to do about it all. The living arrangements are something I will take care of myself." Anko said. "I hope I can call you nii-san real soon."

Anko started glowing and left. "She already figured out how to leave?"

"**Seems like it. Anyway, I think it's time I give you a few lessons on your villages history. I know more than most think."**

"Think you can dumb it down a bit? Remember, I'm only 4." Naruto asked.

"**I was planning on it. I don't expect you to get the version that most Academy students get."**

-with Anko-

Anko had gone over to the Hokage's tower. "Lord Hokage, I have found out where Naruto Uzumaki is."

"He went into the Forest of Death, didn't he?" Sarutobi asked.

"Yes, he did. He intends to stay there for a few days. Stay away from the villagers so everything can cool down. Also, I have a little favor to ask, regarding him." Anko started.

"What would that be?"

"I'd like him to move in with me. Being kicked out of the Orphanage is one thing. Being hated by the Village is another. This wouldn't be adoption, it would be more of a Brother-Sister thing, than mother-son. I remember that law that said no one is allowed to adopt him. This should be able to get around it." Anko said.

Sarutobi was in a bit of shock. "Do you mind if I ask why?"

"He wants to be a Ninja, and is currently in the Forest trying to train himself. He told me his reasons, but I promised him I wouldn't say anything on the subject. I intend on keeping that promise."

"Really? Even if I order you to tell me?"

"Even then, I don't intend on doing so. That kid has little to no trust for anyone. He already trusted me with that, so I don't intend on betraying that trust." Anko said.

Sarutobi smiled. "Well then, I would accept this. I'm not even letting the Council in on this. They don't need to know. Something like this is paperwork I'd actually enjoy working on. It's worse than hell, but for you to do something like this, I'm glad to do it."

"Also, there are a few more things he told me never to say. However, I may be able to get Kushina back to the village." Anko said, causing Sarutobi to drop his pipe from his mouth.

"What do you mean?"

"If Kushina is, in fact, his mother, he has a right to be with her. Also, if she were here, people would think twice about attacking him, in fear of her. Not the smartest tactic, but arguably one of the best." Anko said.

"I will say this. His mother is in fact, Kushina Uzumaki. However, no one is to know of his father. The moment he finds out, if he ever does, no one can know until he is a Chuunin, or Kushina is around."

"Good to know. In any case, I'll be getting my house ready for him. He's gonna need more than he's got, so you don't have much to worry about."

"Good. One question. Who is going to train him?" Sarutobi asked.

"That would be one of the secrets he told me. Although, I will say this. She isn't anything like most would think. I'll also be helping out, so you could say it would be a bit of a collaboration with his training."

"Don't tell me the Kyuubi is going to train him." Anko tensed. _'How did he...?'_

Anko nodded. "Don't mention it to anyone. Since you already know that, you would be able to figure out the other things he told me not to say."

"Such as Naruto already talking with him? Or he's trying to corrupt Naruto's mind?"

"In order, yes, then no. Also, the Kyuubi is female." Anko said.

"How do you know this? For all you know..."

"I know more than you think. I already know the backstory, from the source. She's actually pissed at what happened that day, but not at the Yondaime. She told me herself. She does want revenge from what was done to her, but the village is not the cause of that. She didn't say who it was, but did say that they are no longer affiliated with any village now. She didn't even tell me if the person was male or female." Anko interrupted.

Sarutobi looked at her. "You mean to tell me, she isn't even mad at the Yondaime for sealing her?"

Anko nodded. "That's right. Her anger is focused on whoever increased her Bloodlust through some Genjutsu that, for some reason, she couldn't break. She was grateful to the Yondaime, and even shed a tear when she said that. If anyone said Demons don't cry, they lied. I saw that for myself."

Sarutobi looked at her in shock. "How do you know any of this?"

"When you go straight to the source, you find out more than learning through gossip."

_'The source? No... She actually talked to the Kyuubi?'_

"You're probably wondering if I actually did talk to her. The answer is yes. He is not to know that you know any of this, I don't want him to stop trusting me right now. Us outcasts have to stick together, and gaining our trust is not easy. For this reason, you should keep the fact you know any of this a secret. Not even the council should know, and definitely not Naruto himself."

Sarutobi sat back and released a heavy sigh. "Anko, I see where you're going with this. Do you think that you can truly help him?"

"I do. I can't do much, but I can help him out to a point. I will do everything I can to help him out until I can't do anything else. I don't intend on making him use my fighting style, because the two of them will work on that."

"Very well. You are dismissed." Anko nodded and left.

-the next day-

Anko had gotten up late. She spent all night getting a room ready for the Blonde Maelstrom. She left her house, and locked it. Afterwards she went to the Forest of Death to find Naruto.

It wasn't hard, he was still meditating. When she got to the clearing, he opened his eyes. "Hey, Anko-neechan."

"Well, I got it all approved by the Hokage. I was up for hours last night trying to get a good spot for you made. Otherwise, I'd probably be here earlier."

"That's okay. I see where you went with that."

"One more thing... I tried dropping a few hints at what you said, but mostly kept them secret. He probably found out about some of them. If he did, he already knows not to say anything about it." Anko said, her head down.

Naruto looked at her. He wasn't angry, but he did feel somewhat sad. He perked up almost immediately, though. "So, how did you word the warning?"

"When he figures it out, and I have no doubt he will, he is not to tell anyone what it is. Not even the council. He put you in my hands, and though I'm not completely capable, Akane should be able to fill any holes I'd miss." Anko said. "Now, what did you learn last night? I'd need to know what you already know, so I can make some accurate adjustments."

"Well, history is one thing. Didn't get that far into it, but this is from the beginning of the Ninja Clans to the founding of the villages. I also learned more about Chakra." Naruto said.

"The new knowledge of Chakra should help you out. Alright, let's get back to the leaf. Remember, 3 minutes straight." Naruto nodded, and got a leaf.

He managed to keep it on there for over 2 minutes.

"Good job there. 2 minutes, 14 seconds. Quite an improvement on the time." Anko said. "I think I can help you out with the next exercise now."

"Really?" Naruto asked, somewhat excited. Anko nodded. "It is to climb a tree, without using your hands."

"I'll buy. How do you do that?"

"I think it's better if I show, than if I tell you." Anko said as she found a tree. Naruto felt the Chakra go into her feet. He realized that he could sense chakra last night. She put one foot on the tree trunk, and started walking up it. She then walked up the side of the tree, then hung upside down from a branch. "This is basically it. The point is finding the correct amount of Chakra and keeping it steady. Too much Chakra, you'll blow the tree, too little, you won't stick. Find a tree," Anko pulled out a Kunai. "When you fall off, cut it with this." Anko threw the Kunai to his feet. "Doing that will give a height to beat. When you reach the top of the tree, and can go up and down it several times with no problem, you've basically got this down."

Naruto nodded. "Since the feet are the hardest part of the body to channel Chakra to, this is an excellent way to train Control." Anko smirked.

He got to a tree and sent Chakra to his feet. "You might want to get a running start. You'll need the momentum." Anko said, while Naruto nodded.

He started running towards the tree, he got up about 5 steps then fell off. "I told ya, didn't I?"

"Too little. I have to keep it balanced." Naruto said.

"_**Kid, focus on the tree itself. All things have some type of energy. Find that amount, and use the same amount."**_

Naruto closed his eyes and focused on the tree. He cleared his mind. When he opened them, he ran at the tree. He got noticeably higher than before. He went halfway up the 18 story tall tree. (A/N: Hey, those trees are tall as hell. This one is one of the smaller ones.)

He lost his concentration when Anko said something. It went too high, and blasted him off the tree. He marked it a little over halfway. He landed on his feet. He felt a sting, but that was it. "Anko-neechan, why did you do that?"

"It helps you learn to concentrate, without shifting your focus to distractions." Anko said. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "By that, I mean you need to be able to control your chakra as if it were second nature. When you can do that even when you are in a fight that could get you killed, you've already got it as a second nature. Before you can even do something like that, though, you need it at second nature."

Naruto sighed. _**"She has a point kid. Still, your control is a lot better now than it was beforehand."**_

"Hang on for a second." Naruto got an idea. Instead of focusing on the tree itself, he just cleared his mind as if he were meditating. He charged Chakra to his feet, and went up the same amount when Anko said something to catch him off guard. It didn't work this time, so she decided to throw a senbon in his path. He dodged it, while keeping himself to the tree. Anko was surprised he managed to do that.

He made it to the top, and then went back down to a branch. He jumped to another nearby branch, and kept jumping from branch to branch before finally reaching the ground. "Why did you throw that needle?"

"Well, you avoided it, and it didn't seem to distract you. Mind telling me how?" Anko asked.

"Well, I wasn't really focusing on anything. My mind was clear of all thoughts. It's like I was meditating but I was completely conscious and on the move." Naruto replied.

"Do it again. This time, I'll be throwing 2 or more at a time. See if you can keep up." Anko said. Naruto looked at her, then nodded. He went back to the tree, and started running. He charged Chakra as he did, and cleared his mind like before. He went up, dodging the Senbon every time she threw them. He made it to the top, went around, and came back down the trunk, only to find more needles come towards him. He kept dodging, while retaining his control. It was like he had already mastered it.

He went towards Anko, and smirked. "I guess that's a good start, don't you?" Anko nodded.

"Now let's see you do some exercises while doing this. From now on, every other day you will get to a tree hang upside down from a branch and do 20 squats. After you're done with that, you will hang on to the Trunk and, while your head is pointing down at rest, will do 20 sit ups. I will add more when you get these down, and then I will increase the amount of each one. You'll continue to work on your Chakra Control, and at the same time, you'll increase you stamina, and strength." Anko said, while Naruto nodded. He knew he would need this.

He went to the Tree and hung upside down from a branch. He started doing a few squats and managed to finish them. Went he went to the trunk to start the Sit ups, he fell off at 18, and Anko caught him.

"And that's why I'm here. You need a way to be able to catch yourself if you do fall. So, I'm going to have to teach you a Clone of some sort."

"_**I'll handle that later. You have gotten more than enough control. Clearing your mind helps you out more than you think."**_

_'Okay, do you know which one? Maybe she can help out.'_

"_**Somehow, I doubt it. The one I was thinking of teaching you was the Shadow Clone. It is more your speed, and you should be able to create upwards of 100."**_

_'Nice.'_

"Well, we have one lined up. What do you know about the Shadow Clone Jutsu, Anko?" Naruto asked, making Anko's eyes go wide.

"Akane suggested it, didn't she?" Naruto nodded. "Okay, the first thing you need to know is that a Shadow is a pure copy of yourself. It is marked as Forbidden for several reasons, though."

"Okay, I'm listening." Naruto said.

"First off, the amount of Chakra it takes is a good amount. For this reason most Jounin could only create up to about 20, but some would dispel automatically. After the Jutsu is completed, each Shadow Clone along with the Original copy, have the same amount of Chakra. In other words, the remaining Chakra is split evenly."

"Well, Akane did say that I would be able to make upwards of 100 Shadow Clones."

"With the reserves you have, along with you being able to draw on her Chakra as well, I wouldn't be surprised if you could make upwards of 1,000 Shadow Clones." Anko stated. "but that's not the point. The Jounin in question will only be able to use 1 or 2 C-rank Jutsu, and then pass out due to Chakra Exhaustion."

"Then... If I used the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and made, say 100, do you think I could handle it?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not gonna answer that just yet. There are a few more downsides you need to be aware of. The next thing you should know, is the fact that whatever a Shadow Clone learns during the time it is around is transferred to the Original, along with any other Clones that are still around. The downside to this is when you dispel too many clones at once, you may have a mental Backlash."

"So, I'd get a headache, maybe pass out?"

"More like a Migraine. Passing out is a definite." Anko said. "It is for this reason that Shadow Clones are used for Scouting and Espionage. If you can make upwards of 100, you'd just make about 50, and have them train on a few things, and another 10 or so, to work on Chakra control, or study. You'll get the combined experience of all of the Clones, thus resulting in better training, or even learning Jutsu, or Control. 1 Shadow Clone working on Chakra control for 2 hours, will gain 2 hours of Experience. 2 Shadow Clones doing the same exercise for 1 hour, will gain the same 2 hours worth of Experience that 1 clone did in 2 hours."

"_**She's basically saying that for every Shadow Clone doing the same thing for the same amount of time, experience will be stacked."**_

"That's good. Aside from the Mental Backlash, it's a great thing to use for Training."

"For someone who knows how to meditate, you could sort out everything you learn while doing so. How it would work with your mindscape, I don't know."

"Well, I'm gonna head in there and learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu. It should help out more with my training than anything else." Naruto said, causing Anko to nod.

"Mind if I come along?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't see why not." He sat down, and she sat right next to him. They both started to meditate.

-Naruto's mindscape-

Naruto and Anko found themselves in the Field, looking at the cottage in there. Akane walked up to them. **"Alright Naruto. Come with me. Anko, you may want to stand back for this. It's easy to perform, at least, the way he's going to learn it. What's more is, since this is his mindscape, he won't get that tired."** Anko nodded.

Naruto and Akane both went down to the field, while Anko stayed put.

"**Alright Naruto. The version I'm going to teach you only has one sign. You send the Chakra into the sign, and call out the Jutsu. That Sign is this."** Akane put her first 2 fingers of both hands in a cross-seal. **"When you make this sign, send Chakra to it, call out the Jutsu, and this should happen."**

Akane did so, and Naruto felt it. **"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"** a few smoke plumes popped up, and about 50 Clones of Akane appeared. **"See what I mean?"** Naruto nodded. **"Now you try it."**

Naruto made the handsign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" About 80 Shadow Clones of Naruto appeared. "Wow."

"**You get amazed at the smallest of things."**

"It's just amazing that I can do this, and I'm only 4." Naruto replied. "Especially when Jounin have trouble with it." Akane nodded. **"Dispel them 10 at a time, every 15 seconds. That should reduce the backlash, and eliminate the possibility of fainting in here."**

Naruto did so, and didn't feel much pain in his head.

Akane looked at him. **"Now, do it again. This time, put as much Chakra as you can into it."**

Naruto looked at her. **"After you do that, they are to get into groups of 10. Since you can do this here without much consequence, it is a lot more safe to do so here."**

Naruto sighed. He put about 3 times as much Chakra into the seal as before. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Alright, get into groups of 10 each. We're gonna see how many of me I can make." The Original said.

They all scrambled. When they counted, they found 63 groups of 10. There was another group that had 8, but that was it. **"638? Not bad. Dispel just like last time. I think you know the mechanics of the Jutsu now."** Naruto nodded, and did so. It took over 10 minutes, but he did so.

"**There is one more thing you will want to know. Making as many Shadow Clones as you can, will also help with your Taijutsu."**

Anko was down there already. "It doesn't help him learn Taijutsu. The effects don't stack."

"**I never said anything about stacking. When you're going up against a massive amount of opponents, which he can provide, he can go 1 on 100, and learn the flaws of whatever style he's using, anything he needs to work on, and even gain battle Experience. He won't be able to see what kind of effects the attacks will bring, but he can see how to get around the guard of multiple opponents at once."**

Anko's eyes went wide. "You're saying that if he creates 100 Shadow Clones, and he fights them solo, he can practice Taijutsu, while learning more about his own style. If there's anything he needs to work on, anything he can improve on, and gain experience fighting against the odds."

"**My point exactly. That kind of training can only happen if a Jinchuuriki is involved, and they can use the Shadow Clone Jutsu."** Akane turned to Naruto. **"You can't gain physical training here, and that's a little disappointing, but that's something we have to deal with."**

"Question. If I use it in here, will it affect my chakra out there?" Naruto asked.

"**I am not entirely sure. You should only try to make maybe 50 Shadow Clones at first. If some of them dispel right after being created then the answer is yes. If not, and you don't feel much, at all: The answer will be no. Either way, I can't really say which will come about."**

Naruto nodded. "I guess we're done in here for now."

"**One more thing. Once you have completed the exercises Anko gives you on your Control, You should start working on Water Walking."**

"I haven't gone through that. I know of it, but I haven't done so." Anko said.

"**You are a Chuunin, are you not?"**

"A somewhat experienced Chuunin. However, the Hokage was planning on requesting me to be a Special Jounin for the Chuunin Exams." Anko replied. Akane nodded.

"**Well, I guess I'll have to explain it when it's time."** Akane said. **"I may not be a ninja, but I do know how the exercise works. My Youki is the same way, and I can use it like you use Chakra."**

Anko and Naruto nodded. They both left.

-outside-

It was mid afternoon. Naruto's stomach growled. He smiled nervously while scratching his head. "I guess I haven't really eaten in a while." Anko's stomach growled as well. "Make that both of us."

"I got an idea. Since I actually have some money, why don't we eat at one of my favorite places?" Anko suggested.

"Why not? Where is it?"

"It's the Dango shop. I'll lead the way. You're with me this time around, so they should accept you. They're some of the only ones to actually like my company. Hey, their Dango is the best."

Naruto looked at her strangely. He shrugged. "As long as you're buying, I don't see much problem with it, since I don't have any money of my own."

Anko chuckled a bit. "I didn't think you had any, and was intending on paying anyway."

They both went off towards their lunch. "Hey, Nee-san?"

"Yeah, Naruto?"

"When we're done with lunch, you mind if we head to your place? You did say the Old man gave you permission to take me in."

"I'm not adopting you, but you are going to live with me. The reason for this is the law the Council passed stopping anyone from adopting you. It sucks, but I think I have a better way to settle the little matter of your mother." Anko explained.

"I didn't know about that law. Then again, you did say you had stayed in contact with my actual mother, so I didn't think you'd be adopting me." Naruto replied.

"I did, and I sent her a message about a son, and if she had one. I'm not sure if she really is your mother, but if she is she'll either ask why, or something like that." Anko said. "But like I said before, I'm not sure if she really is your mother, so all I can do is wait for her reply, until I can be sure. Meeting Akane drove that lesson home."

"_**Waiting until she knows for a fact, and then making a decision. Not bad, she learned something just from meeting me. I didn't think that was easy, but I guess not."**_

_'Not everything is as it seems. You're a prime example of that, Akane-chan.'_

Akane giggled.

-Dango shop-

Anko and Naruto entered the place. "Hey guys. Sorry it's been a while. I've been a little picking up with a new friend."

The shop owner looked at Anko. "Ah, Anko. Who's the kid?"

"My friend. He may be young, but he's more like me than most." Anko told the man. 

"Well, what's your na... Nevermind. I heard about you from the other Shop owners."

"I guess I'm not wanted anywhere in the village. Sorry, Anko-neechan." Naruto was about to walk out when the owner spoke up.

"That doesn't mean I believe them." Naruto stopped in his tracks. "If what Anko says is true, then you're good in my book. I know one other place that wouldn't mind you either. They don't care what a customer is. They will serve them." Naruto turned around, hope in his eyes.

"Wow, you were right Anko. He is more like you than anyone else. How many do you think he can eat?"

"Being on the street for a while, I guess he could eat quite a bit. Let's get 10 to start. You know how much I love Dango." Anko said. The man nodded.

"10 sticks?" Naruto asked.

"10 Trays. They have 6 sticks on each." Anko said. "Come on, let's sit down."

They both talked for a while, then the Dango came to them. "Oh boy, I'm gonna take 5 trays to start. Eat as much as you can, Naruto. You're gonna need it." Anko said.

When they finished, they looked at the owner. Anko was about to say bye, when Naruto spoke up. "Thank you for giving me a chance. I appreciate it."

"No problem, kid. Seriously, I don't see what their problem with you is. What they see in you, I don't see." The guy said. "Name's Onimaru. See you next time."

(A/N: Yes Onimaru is not an original name, and no he does not look the same as the one from Kurohime)

"Well, I think we should head back to my place. Thanks for the Dango, Onimaru. It's as good as ever." Anko said.

"Don't mention it, Anko." Onimaru replied as they both left. "Those two are gonna get a lot of people in trouble one day. I'd love to see what happens when they do."

00000x00000

Chapter 1 End.

Well, this was longer than I expected to make it, but I didn't get everything in I wanted to.

Rate, Review, give suggestions, whatever. If you do, I thank you.

If you don't, your choice is your choice. I won't argue that. I won't get down just because you don't review, but opinions, though somewhat useless, do help.

Later!


	2. Chapter 2

Alright, Chapter 2. Here it is.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**Chapter 2**

A few weeks went by and Naruto was getting better in his training. Anko had been keeping it a secret from most, and even what she's been teaching him from the Hokage. He was going to turn 5 next month. Anko realized it and decided to give him the day off of Training, so he could hide for that day. She knew that they would attack him because of Akane.

"Hey, Naruto. Your birthday is in a few weeks. Is there something you'd like to get?" Anko asked.

"Well, I would like to see my mother, some day. My birthday is probably not a good day to do so, though. The village will go after me with everything they have and more. I'm glad you were sticking with me, regardless of what happened back then. I mean, I know it's not her fault, but still. You're not like the others." Naruto said.

Anko smirked. "Well then, how about you see her in a few days?" Naruto's eyes went wide.

"Kushina sent me a message saying that she's coming back. She wants to see her son. It will take a few days, but she'll be here. She seemed a little pissed off that they told her you were dead, when you obviously weren't." Anko continued. "Does that mean I have to leave you, nee-san?"

Anko shook her head. "She knows you and I have grown close, and isn't mad about me training you. She is a little shocked at the fact you have 2 senseis. One of which, she said may try to corrupt you. She wants you to learn some proper etiquette, but that doesn't seem to be your style, to me. To that, she said you're just like your father. The man who only wore a tux at his wedding. There's nothing to worry about regarding our friendship."

Naruto had a grin plastered on his face. _**"Don't get too excited, Naruto-kun. She may have you stop talking to me, and thus, you lose one of your senseis."**_

_'She can't get you away from me. That just wouldn't be possible. You are in my mindscape. There's nothing she can do about it.'_

"_**You really are sweet."**_

_'Even when I'm not trying to be. Anyway, I believe it's time I head back to my Training.'_

"Hey, Nee-san?"

"Training?" Anko asked. Naruto nodded.

"I still need to get my style down. I want to impress my mom with it. I can't do that if it's flawed." Naruto said, earning a nod.

"Okay then. Let's go." they both went off to the Forest of Death.

-Hokage's tower-

Sarutobi was watching the whole exchange. He had been watching Naruto and Anko a lot lately. If he wasn't doing his paperwork, he was basically watching the two of them bond. _'It's almost as if they really are brother and sister.'_

They made it to the Forest of Death. It was their usual training ground. _'I still don't get why they always train in there. It's not exactly safe.'_

"Still, he's made some progress the entire time. Though, I wonder who Akane is." Sarutobi said.

They reached a clearing, and this time the Hokage didn't have any paperwork to fill out. He would be free to watch them train with each other.

-with Naruto-

Naruto made a handsign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" About 150 Clones filled the clearing. He didn't realize the Hokage was watching him. He got in his Taijutsu stance that he had been developing. His right arm was in front of his torso, somewhat loose with his right hand open, but with the fingers curled a bit. His left arm was to the side, the hand behind his leg in proportion to his body. His feet were farther apart than most styles, but for him, it was needed. He had a slight hunch in his back, but his head was straight up.

The Clones all got ready in the same stance. The Clones rushed the Original 3 or 4 at a time. It was somewhat easy to dispel them with a single hit. He got under their guard, and got rid of them with ease. When one went down, another came in to join. He was basically putting himself through the wringer physically.

-Hokage's tower-

Sarutobi had been watching how his style is being used. _'I should get Might Guy on this kid. His Taijutsu Training is effective, in ways I would never expect. Hold on... Shadow Clones? How did he learn that technique?'_

Sarutobi was thinking so much into it, when he noticed that Anko wasn't helping him in the least bit. _'Did she teach it to him? No, even she isn't that good with it.'_

-with Naruto-

Naruto had already taken out about 120 clones. There was only 28 left, plus himself. He didn't even look winded. He waited for the clones to come, but they did something he didn't quite expect. They charged him all at once. He was immediately put on the defensive, and took out a few at a time, while dodging the others.

His flexibility was beyond great. His stamina was inhuman, (A/N: It's a Jinchuuriki thing) and to top it all off, his strength in the hits was far more than anyone else could gauge at his age. It finally came down to 3 clones, and the original. None of them seemed winded from it all. The last three charged him and in a flurry of limbs, all three dispelled. Speed was evident there.

Anko looked at him and nodded. "Well?"

"It's not perfect, but It's getting better. Akane did say this would help me out in a few ways. I have seen what I'm lacking, and have been trying to correct those points. I have the Speed, Stamina, and Form down. All I need now is to close the gaps I'm leaving open, and I'll be good." Naruto replied, earning a nod.

"Well then, let's go for a little one on one. You and me. Let's see how you do." Anko said. Naruto nodded, and got into his stance. The stance is somewhat unpredictable. Anko knew that firsthand.

"Begin!" Naruto charged Anko. Anko managed to dodge, and tried to counter. She missed, and Naruto got back a bit, before going in to attack once again.

-Hokage's tower-

Sarutobi was watching the spar with interest. _'He is obviously doing better than most would think. Not even I can see a set pattern in his style. It's almost as if he created it to be unpredictable in a fight. It certainly seems that way.'_

Someone knocked on his door. "Enter!"

A guy in green spandex, with a bowl haircut and the biggest Eyebrows in the village had walked in. "You wanted to see me, Lord Hokage?"

"Yes, I did. Take a look at this kid. I've been watching him spar with Anko for a few minutes now." The guy walked up and took a look. He noticed the style being used, and found something was up with it.

"That style... the stance... those moves... It can't be."

"You know what style he's using, Guy?" Sarutobi asked.

"I've only heard legends of it. Not even I have mastered it. Heck I haven't even found much on it period. Only rumors have ever been told. The Kitsune Style." Guy replied.

"What do you know about it?" Sarutobi looked at him.

"From what I hear, the Kitsune style is different from almost all other styles. It is one of the few that are not predictable. In fact, unpredictability is a key element to it. However, that style has no records of it anywhere. I know one thing for sure. That style is hard to master. Those that do... They can easily be considered Taijutsu specialists. It's either that, or one of the most unpredictable fighters around. How old is he?"

"4 years. He'll be turning 5 next month on the 10th." Sarutobi said.

"Well then, that explains how he can even use that style. It doesn't, however, explain how he even knows of it."

"How so?"

"The Kitsune style is made to work like a fox. If that's who I think it is, then he is obviously learning it from the Kyuubi. How he even managed to convince him to do so is beyond me."

Sarutobi sighed. "That would explain a lot more than I thought. He has already made contact with the Kyuubi. That same Kyuubi and Anko, the one he's currently sparring with, are both teaching him since the rest of the village won't even bother to. They do speak of someone by the name of Akane, but I have no records of anyone by that name. They refer to her as a she, but that's about it."

"Hmm... I think I figured that out. Akane is the Kyuubi. Would that make any sense?" Guy asked, widening the eyes of Sarutobi.

_'Why didn't I think of that before? I must be losing my touch.'_ "Guy, is there anything else that is needed to be known about this style?"

"Well, aside from the rumors of it, I can't say anything. I've never come in contact with it, and therefore don't know much for myself. It's clear that Akane is teaching the Kitsune Style to him, but for what reason?" Guy asked no one in particular.

"What is the usual skill set of the Style, or do you know that?"

"I don't know much, but I do know that Speed, Stamina, Flexibility, and Unpredictability. Strength is optional, but would come along with training it. That kid will easily be a Taijutsu beast." Guy replied. "I'm sorry I can't be of much help here. It's my best suit, and even I don't know everything about it. I do, however, know that looking for patterns in it is useless. Just by watching him, I can see that much."

Sarutobi nodded. "Come to think of it, that area looks like the Forest of Death."

"It is. They've been training in there for a few weeks now. This is the first time I've actually watched them train, though. I must say, I am utterly surprised at his progress. Then again, he went after 150 Shadow Clones of himself before this. So I can't really say that."

Guy's eyes widened. "Is it possible for me to see him spar up close?"

"Not likely. When I don't have any paperwork to fill out, I'm watching these two. They've been living together for sometime, and have even been training together. If she gets his shinobi skills up, he may even be Chuunin level before he graduates."

"He's already above it in Taijutsu. To use a style such as that is far beyond easy. You have to move without thinking, and not worry about going for a pattern yourself. Your body will be working itself, going for the unpredictable part of the style, while also reacting to your opponents blows. It's highly possible for one to use Jutsu in a style such as this, as long as it can be used without any handsigns." Guy said.

-with Naruto-

Naruto and Anko were still going at it, without a hint of exhaustion. Anko was losing her touch for a bit, but picked it back up after a few seconds. The second time she lost it, she didn't have enough time to recover. Naruto got a hit in on her face. Anko hit a tree and sent it toppling.

Naruto looked at his opponent. Anko was in a daze. He walked up to her, and noticed that she was down for the count. "You okay, Anko-neechan?"

"Uh... my head. Huh? What happened?" Anko said, noticing the Blonde Maelstrom in front of her.

"I, uh, got a hit to your face and you toppled a tree on impact." Naruto said, a little worried.

"Uh... That actually hurt. If one hit packs that much of punch, I don't want to be at the receiving end of it." Anko said, chuckling. Naruto started to chuckle as well.

"And to think I didn't even use Akane Youki for that hit. Heck I didn't even use my own Chakra. That hit was all muscle, and not boosted in any way." Naruto said, as his chuckle burst into a laugh. Anko started to laugh, as well.

Back at the Hokage's tower, two people had their jaws wide open.

"Well, let's get to meditation, then. That should help out for a bit." Anko said, getting a nod from Naruto. They both sat down near a still standing tree, and seemed to relax.

-Konoha North gate-

Someone was coming up to the gate. The two guards were bored, but then they saw who was coming. They were instantly frightened. She walked up to the Gate where they were. "Izumo, Kotetsu. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

They both realized she might not be mad. "Y-yes, it has." Izumo said.

Kotetsu looked at him. "I'm sorry Kushina. Is there a reason for your return?"

"Yes, there is. However, I just need to know one thing. Where is the one by the name of Naruto Uzumaki?" Kushina asked.

"Why do you want to know where that demon..." Izumo started off loud but stopped the moment a blade reached his neck. Kushina had the handle.

"Don't. You. Dare. Call my son a Demon." Kushina's voice was saying that you don't want to piss me off. Otherwise, you're dead.

Izumo gulped... as much as he could with a sword at his throat. Kotetsu was surprised at this. "You mean you have a son? Why didn't you tell anyone, and why is it that he looks like Minato?"

"So... he got his father's looks, huh? That makes it simple. There were very few that looked like him when I left. If I see anyone harm him, I will hunt them down, and I will kill them. Simple as that." Kushina walked off.

-with Naruto and Anko-

They were walking through town, looking for something else to do. Someone was coming up to them, sword on her back. She had red hair, and looked pretty powerful. Naruto just found her presence familiar.

The woman walked straight up to them both. She was looking at Naruto intently. "Uh... Hi?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, right?" Naruto stiffened. Anko noticed this, and since she didn't recognize the woman, she got in between them. "No one is to hurt him. Otherwise they're going through me."

The woman looked at Anko with interest. "Ah, Anko. It surely has been a while, hasn't it? You obviously didn't recognize me. I'm not surprised that Naruto doesn't. After all..." Naruto's eyes widened at that point, and charged her. "I don't believe it! You came back!"

Anko looked the embrace, and found the Red head was at peace with it. She finally made the connection. "Kushina? Is that really you?" She looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"I can't believe you forgot who I was, Anko." She turned her head to Naruto. "Hey, Naruto. I know you probably can't forgive me for what happened so far."

"Don't worry, mom. I'm fine. Anko-neechan has been with me for a while, and we've been working on my Ninja Training." Naruto said, surprising Kushina a bit. "Ninja Training? At your age?"

He nodded. "I have to get better if I'm going to be the best. I've got to make you proud somehow." Kushina looked at him. "Well, then let's see what you can do."

Naruto looked at Anko. They both nodded. "Well, I guess it's time we head to our usual training spot. Let's go!" Naruto, Anko, and Kushina headed off.

2 minutes later and they were outside the Forest of Death. "Naruto, stop!" Naruto did so, as did Anko. "Do you realize what this place is?" Kushina asked.

Naruto just nodded. "I already know what kind of danger this Forest poses, and nothing ever happens. Wolves do come up to us sometimes, and I play around with them from time to time, but nothing ever attacks me in here. Besides, I could always train in here without being interrupted by the villagers wanting me in a grave, because of Akane. I still don't blame her, or dad about what happened."

Kushina went wide eyed again. "You mean... You already know how to access her strength?"

Naruto looked at her. "Uh... no. I am on good terms with her, yes. She does want me to get rid of the bastard that forced her to attack the village in the first place, and she did say she was grateful to my dad for sealing her into me. That's all I can really say on the matter. The Old man, near as I can figure, doesn't know that I already found out who my father was, or that I can talk to her. Well, if we want someplace quiet, this is the best place for us."

Kushina looked at him, and nodded. "Let's go then." They went into the forest. An ANBU appeared there, and went in after them.

When the 3 of them reached the clearing, Anko and Kushina stood near the edge. Naruto created about 100 Shadow Clones. "Alright! Let's do this!" Naruto got into his Kitsune Stance. He charged into the sea of Clones, and they started going down at about 3 or 4 at a time. They backed off for a bit and then charged in groups of 5. He got rid of one, another took its place.

When he got rid of all of them, he turned to his mother. His eyes flickering from Blue to Red. He sat down, and leaned against a tree.

"_**You overexerted yourself, this time. You're losing a bit of control you need to meditate and regain some of it. Or at least rest up. If you are not in control of your own body, you cannot do some of the simpler tasks."**_

_'Sorry, Akane-chan.'_

"Anko-neechan, I kind of overexerted myself. I'm gonna need to rest for a bit. Think now would be a good time for that?" Naruto asked, earning a nod.

"Hey, do you think it would be possible to have Kushina meet Akane?" Anko asked.

"I don't know. You're the only one so far to do so." Naruto said, before he tensed. "We've got company."

Kushina nodded. "He's here for me. I recognize his Chakra Signature. It's an old friend of mine."

The ANBU landed in front of the group of 3. "An Inu mask? Really?" Kushina stated.

"It sure has been a while, Kushina." The ANBU said.

"That it has. Anyway, why did you follow us in here?"

"I wanted to say hi to you, and also protect the almost Carbon copy of my Sensei. I mean, look at him. If not for the whisker marks, he'd look almost exactly like Minato-sensei." The ANBU said.

"You know, why don't you remove your mask? After all, few people come in here, so you're good." Kushina said.

The man reached for the ANBU mask, and took it off. Revealing a head of silver-gray hair that seemed to defy Gravity. A leaf headband is covering his left eye. A mask covers the bottom half of his face. "I feel like I should trust you, Kushina. After all, your marriage was never made public."

Anko looked at him. "Kakashi Hatake? You're friends with Kushina as well?"

"Why wouldn't I be friends with my Sensei's wife? I was there at their wedding, after all. It was kept on the down low, so don't tell anyone about that. In fact, I was one of the select few that knew both of his parents, and could even give you a complete personality record of them both. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to say anything about their relation to Naruto here, due to a law that was supposed to protect him. A lot of good that did him." Kakashi said.

"The fact they'd try to take him out is an insult to Minato-sensei, and that is something I will not take sitting down. If I am in the village, I watch over him. If I'm on a mission, I get it over with as fast as possible, without making mistakes, and get back here ASAP. He needed someone to protect him from the majority of the Village. They didn't honor his final wish, and I was about ready to kill a few people with my own Jutsu. That was when he left to this forest. He found a friend in Anko, they got close, and I figured I could let up for a while. They both protect each other. Being outcasts brought them together and that sense of friendship is what keeps them together. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they've actually gotten close enough to become siblings."

Kushina looked at him. "What about Jiraiya and Tsunade?"

"Jiraiya couldn't take him with him. Tsunade probably was told the same thing as you. She fled, not even bothering to pack anything. She was too broken to see anything. Although, I have felt Jiraiya's presence a few times. I never could find him, and figured it was just me."

Naruto started to speak. "Well, I know who they are as people, but what relation do they have to me?"

Kushina and Kakashi looked at him. "Naruto, Jiraiya was supposed to be your Godfather, and Tsunade your Godmother. Kakashi knew this much, and would've tried to find them if he could."

"It was either that, or adopt him myself. Unfortunately, the latter was made illegal for anyone to do. If not for that, he would've found a home with me, or the Nara Clan. That much I know for sure." Kakashi said, a little anger present in his voice. Kushina noticed his tone, she just looked at him.

"How many people tried adopting him?"

"Only 4. Hikari Hyuuga, Mikoto Uchiha, Shikaku Nara, and myself. Other than that, no one even came close to even trying. Anko was the only one to be able to get him into her home, thus bypassing the law." Kakashi said, shocking Kushina.

"I'm not his guardian, merely like his sister. I already knew of the law saying he couldn't be adopted, so I went for the next best thing. I took him in as if he were my brother, not a son. For this reason, the council couldn't get me with that law, and there was nothing saying he couldn't stay as a brother. Adoption was not part of it, and since you are here, and his birth mother to boot, he can live with you. I just ask for one thing." Anko said.

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to keep him as a brother. Whether by blood or not, he and I are family. That much has been proven several times over. That is all I ask."

Kakashi was in shock. "You would stay with him, even if you don't have to?"

"I didn't take him in because I had to in the first place. I took him in because I wanted to. I saw myself in him. Someone the village hated for something out of their control, and they had no idea about. I have only proven my point that I want to stay with him as a sister, as we have been. That's it. There's no other motive behind this. I don't want to see him go at the world on his own, when I could easily help him." Anko said, determination flowing through her words.

Kushina looked at her and nodded. "You know what Anko? I think that would be a good idea. However, in your last message to me, you said you along with someone named Akane was training him. I already know who Akane is, as well."

"They have talked about someone named Akane, but I'm not completely sure who it is, seeing as nobody but Anko has gotten close enough to him to be a friend." Kakashi said. Naruto looked at Anko.

"Are you sure about that, Naruto? Do you really think it could work out?" Anko asked, causing the other 2 to look at her.

"I don't really see why not. I mean, my mother would know about Akane soon, and the cyclops over there is a family friend, apparently, so he could probably keep a few secrets on this." Naruto said. Kakashi and Kushina looked at each other and then back at him.

"I don't intend on saying a word if you don't want me to." Kakashi said. "I have to honor my Sensei, and if that means keeping this a secret from the Hokage, I will do so."

"Also, I'm curious as to how you had become friends with Akane." Kushina said.

"Well, nee-san, why don't you explain how to get there, while I get everything ready?" Naruto asked, getting a nod. He then started to meditate.

-Naruto's Mindscape-

Naruto found himself right outside of the cottage once again. **"Naruto, are you sure that it's a good idea to trust them with this?"**

"Someone has to know the true story of what happened. My mother especially. If Kakashi does reveal it, then I'd let you take care of him." Naruto replied. "Still, I don't think he would go against a promise he would have made to my father to protect me. If he told anyone about you and me being friends, he would be betraying that trust, thus breaking the promise he made. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that when one makes a promise to a friend, they will keep it."

"**Still, I don't think it's a good idea."**

"We'll talk on this later. The others should be getting here soon." Naruto said.

On cue, Kakashi, Kushina and Anko were right there in front of them. "Welcome to my mindscape."

"**Anko, I noticed you were not really sure about doing this. I am not either."** Akane said.

"I didn't think you would like this, either. So you can understand why, I guess." Anko replied getting a nod in response.

Kushina and Kakashi looked at the Red head in front of them. Kushina was the first to speak. "Naruto, who is this?"

"This is Akane Kitsune. One of my senseis. She's also a good friend of both me and Anko." was his reply.

"**Naruto-kun has asked me to tell you the full story of what happened that day. I will admit you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but he seems to trust you. He did say that if Kakashi reveals what you hear in this place, he would let me tear him apart."**

"He did?" Kushina raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, mom. I did. I figure that if he was truly a family friend, he'd keep it a secret. However, it's better safe than sorry." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded. "I understand where you're coming from. As I said out there, I have no intentions of revealing any secrets of yours without your permission. This is not because of who you are, but the fact that I was close friends with both your parents, and actually being taught by one of them. I also realize that with a life such as yours so far, you'd need to know you can trust someone before you actually do. So I already understand why you would say something like that."

Akane raised an eyebrow, still in human form. **"Well then, here is the story from start to finish, as I saw it. This goes to a few hours before the attack."**

Akane explained everything in great detail from the point she was summoned, to the point she was sealed. **"I am still grateful to the Yondaime for stopping me. He could've tried to kill me, but instead he sealed me. Being out of control means I couldn't do a thing to stop myself. If there's someone I want to kill right now, it is Madara. I would not dream of attacking this place, unless I had no choice, or they killed Naruto. After which, I would unleash a rampage the likes of which dwarfed the one that day. However, that is only if he does die before his time. Only then would I attack. If he releases me, that is his decision."**

Akane sighed before continuing. **"I know he will come after me again. When he does, I want him to be ready. That is one reason I wanted to train him. Another is to make up for what I did, regardless of the fact I wasn't in control. Still, even if he wanted to, I would suggest he wait until Madara is truly dead, before he does so. When that happens, we can all live in peace. If I need to leave the village, I will at that point."**

Kushina and Kakashi were think over what she had just said. "Okay, a few questions. First off, if Madara is dead, how can he summon you in the first place?"

"**Of that, I am not sure. I do know it was him, though. He is the only human that truly smells like a demon, and still have a Human Aura. This wasn't the first time it happened either. It also happened at the place now known as The Valley of the End. That was the fight between your Shodaime Hokage, and Madara himself. I don't know the specifics of that one, but I remembered being forced out of it by Hashirama. Together we took down Madara. He didn't die, as I now know. Someone has to finish the job Hashirama and I started all those years ago. For that very reason, makes 3 reasons for me wanting to train him. I am even training him in the Taijutsu Style of the Kitsune. I wanted him known as the Kitsune Warrior, but that choice is up to him."**

"Akane, I told you. I will take him out. I know it's not going to be easy if he survived a fight against both you and the Shodaime, but that's the beauty of it. It means that there is someone that could be highly challenging. However, he let his arrogance get to his head, and turned it into experience." Naruto said.

"He won't be easy to beat. You do realize that right?" Kushina asked. Naruto nodded. Kakashi was staring at him.

"Naruto, I'm going to be straight up and say it. You sounded like your father right then and there."

Naruto looked at him, and smiled nervously, while scratching the back of his head. "That settles it. He is definitely yours and Minato-sensei's son. There is no doubt in my mind on this any longer. I just hope he didn't inherit your temper, Kushina. Otherwise..." Kakashi shuddered. "That wouldn't be a pretty sight."

Kushina glared at him. "I'm only speaking the truth here. You'd kill anyone that royally pissed you off."

Kushina softened her glare. "Come to think of it, you're right. However, right now, my son needs me. If someone goes after him, I will go after them. No one messes with my family, and gets away with it. Also, has Danzou tried recruiting him?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I couldn't say for sure. I'm never present at the council meetings. You'd have to ask Lord Hokage about that."

Kushina sighed. "Well, you all know that this kind of information will not get out. No one in the village would dare interrogate me. They know better."

"Ain't that the truth." Kakashi said.

Anko, Akane, and Naruto nodded. **"If you tell anyone this, remember the consequences."**

"Akane, you won't have to go after them, because I will myself. Is there anyone else who knows?" Kushina asked.

"The Hokage might have figured it out by now, with the hints I gave him. However, I have a feeling he doesn't know the full story. He did say he was happy about the paperwork regarding Naruto living with me." Anko said.

To say Kakashi and Kushina were shocked would be like saying Jiraiya is a pervert. Huge understatement.

Kakashi was the first to shake off the feeling. "If he was actually happy to do paperwork for something, that means it's something he has wanted more than his own life but could never get."

Naruto, Akane, and Anko were surprised. Kushina simply nodded. "I'm basically speechless at that. After all, he does hate paperwork with a passion."

"**Well, that's all I have to say about me. There's not much else to be known, and he could tell you himself, as it is about his training. I still intend on giving him advice when he needs it, and he does seem to be able to sense Chakra Flow."**

Kushina looked at her. "That would be because of me. It's in my blood, just like reading and interpreting Seals. However, that I would have to train him in myself. The Uzumaki clan was known for their seal making, along with the ability to hide their naturally large reserves of Chakra, and their ability with a sword. It's not widely known that we can sense Chakra Flow."

"**Well, that makes sense, I guess. I don't know everything about Seals, I'll admit. However, when it comes to curses and barriers, I'm better than the Nidaime Hokage is with Water Style Jutsu. I'm that good with it."** Akane said.

Anko looked at Akane. "Why didn't you say anything sooner? I would have had you take a look at the one I have."

"**Sorry, I guess it's only because you didn't ask. Then again, I didn't realize you even had one."**

Anko just sighed. "You think you could take a look at it now?"

"**Why not? If it's to help a friend of Naruto, I'm good with it."**

"Mom, I have a feeling that the Old man would want to see you. At least to know why you came back. We'll be here for now. We're going to find a way to get rid of that Curse. When we do, we'd have to rest up, because it might take a while." Naruto said.

Kushina and Kakashi nodded. "Uhh, how do we leave here?"

"I think I can help with that." Naruto closed his eyes. Kushina and Kakashi were engulfed in a light. "Later." The light died and they were gone.

"Okay, I'll be meditating over here. If you need me, give me a holler." Naruto said as he sat down a bit away.

-with Kushina-

Kushina and Kakashi opened their eyes. "Did he just force us out of his mind?" Kushina asked.

"Well, we didn't know how to get out ourselves. We'd have to ask Anko how to later on." Kakashi replied, as they both nodded.

"He said he'd be here, and I will believe him for now. Let's go." Kushina said, as they both shunshin'ed out.

-Hokage's tower-

He had just gotten a report that Kushina had returned. Kushina and Kakashi both ended up in his office as no one else was.

"Hiruzen." Kushina said.

"Kushina? So that report was true. Might I ask why you are back?"

"My son is alive, and I intend on taking care of him. Anyone on the council says otherwise, I'll chop off an arm, leg, or for the males, their jewels." Kushina replied.

Sarutobi sweatdropped. "You haven't changed one bit, Kushina. In fact, I'm glad you're back."

"I already know the full situation, and met with my son. He told me of what he's been doing so far, and the reasons behind it. I'm not saying anything about it to you, so don't bother asking. That kind of stuff will be kept in the family alone." Kushina's tone said she doesn't care what would happen, she'd hold it to that, and leave it there.

Sarutobi nodded. "I actually know more than Naruto probably thinks."

"He's aware you have probably figured out most of it. However, there are things not even you could figure out. Those are the things I still don't intend on letting you know." Kushina said.

"And I don't intend on asking. The council will not be happy to hear he has living relatives. I'm tempted to call one and rub it in their faces." Sarutobi said, earning a smirk from Kushina and a chuckle from Kakashi.

"This I'd love to see." Kakashi said, Kushina nodding in agreement. "Shall we call him up here and start it?"

Kushina shook her head. "We should wait before that. First off, how much do you know?"

Sarutobi answered the question, leaving most of it to deduction. "Well, you're right on most of it. However, there is one bit that you should know. Akane is, in fact, the Kyuubi. I know this for a fact, already. That's not what I wanted to say, though. She is currently trying to figure out the mechanics behind the mark on Anko. If what she told me about her skills with them, she should be able to figure out how to remove it. That's what they're doing right now, and that's why I said to wait."

Sarutobi nodded.

-Naruto's mindscape-

Anko was still sitting down while Akane looked at it. **"I got it down. Do you mind if I start now?"**

"The sooner the better." Anko replied. Akane nodded.

"**Thing is, in order to do this properly, I'll be needing Naruto's help."**

"Do I even want to know?"

"**In order for this to work successfully, I need to get rid of the corrosion induced by the mark itself. Then we have to get rid of the mark on your body itself. If I just get rid of it here, the corrosion can come back. That's the main problem here."**

"So, in other words, Naruto and you have to work together to get everything done in a certain time frame. What exactly is the time limit for it?"

"**I'd say about 2 minutes tops. Not much time to do so, and then the corrosion may continue."**

Naruto opened up his eyes. "Akane I think I have an idea. Is it possible for me to leave the Mindscape with her staying in here? This way, I can work on the mark on the body, while you work on the corrosion. We do both of them at the same time, and we can get it done faster."

Akane looked in thought. **"I'm not sure. We'd have to try that out. If you leave though, it's more likely anyone that isn't a resident here will leave. Before I start on this end, we should try that out."**

Naruto glowed and left, Anko didn't leave, however. "Looks like it is possible. Let's get to it."

"**Remember, this is going to hurt a lot. So don't say I didn't warn you."**

Akane started going through some handsigns. She hit the mark with both palms. Anko screamed.

-outside-

Naruto did the same handsigns that Akane did, and followed suit with both palms. After about 30 seconds, the mark itself had disappeared from the body, while Akane was still getting rid of the corrosive Chakra. _'Akane, the mark is gone on the body. How's it going on your end?"_

"_**Almost done here. Got a little bit left. Give me a few seconds. You might want to make a hole where the mark was."**_

_'No need. There are already 2 holes there. Purple blood is seeping out of it, and dissolving before it hits the ground.'_

"_**Got it. Keep a close eye on the body, and if she goes pale, then let me know."**_

_'Roger.'_

20 seconds later, Anko opened her eyes, and felt her neck. She felt both holes there, but they were closing up fast. "Where did those holes come from?"

Naruto smiled. "They opened up the moment the mark left your body. Purple blood was pouring out of it, meaning that was the main problem."

"_**Kid, I'm done on this end. Damn, that was exhausting."**_

Naruto mentally nodded. _'Get some rest then. I won't be training for a bit, so you can rest easy for that time.'_

"_**Thank you."**_

Naruto turned his attention to Anko. "It's all done. I just got confirmation from Akane. It's all gone. The only thing connecting you to that snake bastard is that snake contract you told me about."

Anko looked at him and saw the seriousness in his eyes. In turn, her eyes widened, and hugged him. She was crying, but not tears of sorrow. She was happy. Her words were slurred, so he couldn't make them out easily. "Don't worry about a thing. Nothing will get me to hate you. You of all people should know I consider you family, and I help my family and friends."

Anko released her embrace and smiled at him, tears still streaming down her face. "I'm not sad, disappointed, or anything like that. I'm just... happy." Anko did something that surprised them both. She kissed him. It was on the cheek, but it was still a kiss.

Naruto, in turn, blushed. He tried forming words, but failed. Anko giggled at his reaction. "Don't Naruto-niisan. You're not the target of my love, but you're still my brother. I can do that."

Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Sorry, I just didn't think you'd ever do something like that. You kind of surprised me."

Anko just nodded, and sat down next to the tree. Naruto sat next to the same tree.

-with Kushina-

"And that's the full story." Kushina said. She had just explained the full predicament of Naruto and Anko, and explained the reasons Anko gave.

Sarutobi was in thought. "Do you really wish to do this? I mean, Anko is a part of the Mitarashi clan."

"They aren't a clan of Shinobi, and they also seem to have hated her. They never liked her much, and my son is close to her. You should know that better than anyone." Kushina replied. Kakashi was still present.

"I do know, and I was making sure. I would love nothing more than to keep a smile on Naruto's face. That's why I was more than willing to like the paperwork for him to live with Anko. In fact, I was about ready to rub it in the face of the Council, but I'm actually glad I haven't yet. This kind of information is simply gold, and will make even more material to rub in their faces. I'm actually happier now than I was when I first became Hokage, and didn't know the danger of paperwork... or it's involvement in my position. Yes, I was excited. I haven't felt that way in a long time."

Kushina and Kakashi nodded. "I see. I think we should wait until tomorrow before we do so. Just to rub it in, we're going to have a field day. I know I am." Kushina said, a devious smirk appearing on her face, Kakashi and Sarutobi both saw the smirk and cringed.

"Kushina, I don't think it's a good idea to kill them... Danzou, on the other hand, I wouldn't mind." Sarutobi said. "He's been wanting to try to train Naruto for a year now. I wouldn't allow it, and you know why."

"I know Danzou would try that. He's a Jinchuuriki, and my son. Once he finds that out, and who his father is, he would've wanted my son as his weapon. Now that I'm here, he won't get the chance." Kushina said with a cold tone.

"I feel sorry for him already. I can only imagine what you're going to do to that war hawk bastard." Kakashi said. "Just leave some of him for me. I want a shot at him myself."

Kushina looked at Kakashi and saw he was deadly serious. Emphasis on deadly. "That makes 2. I wonder if Hikari and and Mikoto would want to join in for that?"

"I wouldn't put it past them. After all, they are your friends, and the only ones who truly knew he was your son. One of the many reasons they wanted to adopt them. Damn council never gave him a chance." Sarutobi said. "You said Naruto and Akane were trying to figure out how to get rid of that curse Anko had, right?"

Kushina nodded. "Why do you ask?"

Sarutobi looked at his Crystal Ball. They were talking while sitting next to a tree. "It would seem like they are done with it. I do see evidence of Anko crying, but as to whether it was from pain, happiness it's gone, or sadness it couldn't be removed, I can't say. Although, the smile on her face says it could have been happiness."

Kushina looked at Kakashi. "I'll go check on him. I do know a bit of Telepathy, thanks to Inoichi. I could tell Kakashi the result, and he could tell you. If it's gone, I believe that we could rub something else in their face. The only one to be able to remove the Curse Mark from Orochimaru." Kushina shunshin'ed out.

"That woman is considered a menace to the council, but that's why I like her. She doesn't give a shit about them, and I tend to agree." Sarutobi said, a smirk on his wrinkled face. "One question. Why did you remove your mask in front of her?"

"I didn't go in there on orders. I saw her, and wanted to talk to her. I already know who his parents are, as she told me. Still, I could figure out his father, seeing as he is basically a carbon copy of Minato-sensei with whisker marks." Kakashi replied. "I shall put it back on now."

-with Naruto-

Kushina landed right in front of her son and Anko.

"Oh, hi mom. Guess what?"

"You already figured out how to get rid of it, didn't you?" Kushina asked.

Naruto nodded. Anko spoke up. "It hurt like hell, and on 2 fronts at that."

"2 fronts? How?" Kushina asked.

"Akane worked on the corrosion it brought while I was working on the mark on the body itself. You don't really expect something like that to be painless do you?" Naruto asked, eyebrow raised.

Kushina looked at him and nodded. "Well, that makes 3 things to rub in the face of the council."

Anko looked at her. "3? I only see 2."

"One is you getting around a law preventing anyone from adopting him. Two, the fact that I am his mother, and Three the fact he is the only one to be able to remove the Curse Mark Orochimaru gave you, when it was said that it couldn't be removed. 3 things to rub in their face, and you can see why I so want to do that right now." Kushina said.

Naruto and Anko looked at each other, then at Kushina. "You know? Why don't we do that right now? I'd love to see the look on their faces when they find out that the one the fear and hate so much they were willing to kill him, do things that not even they themselves could do, one. Two, that same person has a Bad-ass for a mother that would easily kill them if angered." Kushina looked at him surprised. "And finally, see some grounds to leave me alone, and living. A 3-fold win for us. I also doubt they'd mess with Anko as well, meaning 4 wins for us."

Kushina just smiled. "Well, there is still one person on the Council I am going to kill for wanting to turn you into an emotionless drone, as his personal weapon. That's something I'm not gonna just let it slide. First off, I think you'd be hungry. You ever been to Ichiraku's?"

Naruto and Anko looked at her. "We've been sticking to the Dango shop. Anko is actually accepted there, and is on good terms with them. Through her, I got on good terms with them pretty quickly."

Kushina looked at Anko with a bit of pride. "You managed to get someone else to like him, regardless of what he is. I'm glad I convinced Hiruzen to let you stay with us. You're a good friend, and would make a good older sister for him." Anko nodded. "Also, I'm good friends with Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku's Ramen stand. You could say they have the best Ramen anywhere in the Elemental countries, ever since Whirlpool Village was destroyed."

Naruto simply nodded. "Okay, but only if Anko-neechan comes as well."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Kushina said. The 3 of them went off.

Kushina sent a message to Kakashi, who then relayed it to Sarutobi, who nodded.

There will be a council meeting the next morning for matters that would be kept secret until that point. Sarutobi got up, and left to head to Ichiraku's himself.

-Ichiraku's Ramen Stand-

Naruto, Anko and Kushina had just arrived. "Hey, Teuchi. It's been a while." Kushina said as she said down next to Anko and Naruto. An old man behind the counter looked at them.

"Ah, Kushina. It's been what? 4, 5 years?"

"Something like that. When I first heard my son was dead, I couldn't take it and left. I finally found out I was told wrong, and happen to be willing to kill the one that told me that." Kushina said, causing Teuchi to shiver.

"Glad I'm not the one who said that. By the way, who are the kids? One looks just like Minato." Teuchi asked.

"This is Naruto. He's my son." Kushina placed a hand on his head. "He found a friend in Anko over here," She pointed to Anko. "and they see each other as siblings, even if she isn't my true daughter."

Teuchi looked at them both. "Well, if you consider them family, so do I. You want the usual?"

Kushina nodded. "Also, you might want to give my son some Miso ramen. That is on the average of the scale, in my opinion." Teuchi nodded. "Alright, 4 Miso, 2 pork, and 1 Vegetable Ramen, coming up."

Anko looked at them. "You think you can make another pork for me?" Teuchi nodded.

Sarutobi came in. "I got the news. And he does have a point, Kushina."

Kushina didn't even bother to look at him. "I know, that's why I told you that. Still, he won't be training physically for a while. There is a lot more he needs to learn in other skills. Still, even at his age, Using Shadow Clones is a bit of a surprise."

Sarutobi nodded. "Don't I know it. The first time I saw it was right before you had come back."

Naruto looked up. "Akane is the one to teach me that. It's been helping me out a lot with training."

Sarutobi looked at him. "I can't believe she taught you that at such a young age. Why would she even bother?"

Kushina just nodded. "I actually see why. Regardless of the fact he is only 4, almost 5, he has more Chakra on his own than the average Genin. Uzumaki Clan thing, I guess."

"Actually, a few weeks back she said it was about Average Chuunin levels, without her's in the mix." Naruto replied. "I guess you can say I have a lot more Chakra than most my age."

Kushina nodded. "I guess that's to be expected." She had just finished her last bowl of Ramen. "Uzumaki Clan members always have a high amount of chakra, and from what I know, so does the Namikaze Clan. I guess that attributes to that."

Teuchi looked at her. "It makes sense. If you want anything else, give me a holler."

They all nodded. Sarutobi spoke. "Kushina, I have told Kakashi to let the Clan heads know about the council meeting tomorrow morning. Your arrival should be kept secret until then. I want them to be scared out of their wits about your arrival."

Kushina nodded. "That makes it all the better. I have a feeling that he will give Mikoto and Hikari a little hint. If he does, then I can almost guarantee they will come to you wondering what the hell was going on."

Naruto looked at his mother confused. "Mom?"

"They're old friends of mine, and my teammates when I was a Genin. Still, I'll be sticking to the Forest until that time. You might want to tell Izumo and Kotetsu that little detail. I almost took out Izumo's head for insulting my son." Kushina said, a smirk on her face.

Sarutobi nodded. "So, tomorrow at 0900, in the council's chambers. Your faces will be hidden, so they don't realize who you are... Except maybe Hiashi, but that's only if he uses the Byakugan."

They all nodded. Naruto already knew of the bloodlines in the village, so he wasn't surprised. "Well, I should get going. Also, when do you think Naruto will be going for the Academy?" Sarutobi asked.

"No earlier than 7 years old. Don't want a Genin so young, regardless of the fact he'd be past Chuunin at that point." Kushina said. Anko and Naruto nodded at that. "I take it you don't want me going all out during the Academy?"

Kushina nodded. "That's right. If you show off everything you have, it defeats the purpose of being a Ninja. It also shows a bit of Arrogance, which is never a good thing."

Naruto nodded. "I know that much. Akane-chan told me the same. Arrogance and acting like you're all high and mighty will lead to one's downfall."

Kushina and Sarutobi looked at him. "Akane actually said that? Powerful as she is?"

Naruto nodded at his mother. "She knows the effects of arrogance, ignorance, and hates them both with her entire being, as she has said multiple times. I sometimes wonder why she hates ignorance, but that thought always returns to those she has to have been sealed in."

Kushina nodded at that. "Makes sense. I'll be heading back to the forest. Anko, you mind having him stay at your place tonight? I know he feels comfortable with you, and would probably take it as well."

Naruto's eyes widened. "I'm only saying this for tonight. As for tomorrow, she will be moving in with us. You can thank the Hokage for that. I still can't have my presence known until then. So I'll have to stay at the forest."

"Too late, Kushina." A voice said behind her. How she missed them, she had no idea.

She turned around, looking at two of her best friends before she left. "Please, don't be mad at for leaving."

They both hugged her, right in front of Naruto and Anko. Sarutobi had left sometime during that talk.

"Girls, I have to keep my arrival a secret. I want to surprise the council tomorrow morning, making them shake in their boots." Kushina said. "Also, I heard you couldn't adopt my son."

"It's the Civilian council's fault. If not for them, he would have moved in with either one of us, or Shikaku. You know that right?" A woman with white eyes said.

"Yes, I know Hikari. Among my friends, you two I trust more than the rest. I am a little pissed at the village for attacking my son, but even more pissed at Danzou for wanting to recruit him." Kushina said, making smirks appear on both women's faces.

"I was just about to suggest just that. Any idea on how to do it?" The Raven haired one asked. She had Onyx eyes. "That's something I intend to figure out, Mikoto. If you want in on it, you'll have to wait and see what I come up with. I do remember the Telepathy Jutsu from Inoichi. I could give you the details that way."

They both nodded. "I'm looking forward to it, Kushina. That man has done wrong to your only son. It's only natural we'd want to help you out with this." Mikoto said, while Hikari nodded in agreement.

"Well, I have Kakashi to put in there, as well. So you see where I'm going with this? We have 3 women, and one of the most Dangerous Jounin in the village, all being pissed off at one person." Kushina said. "What do you think would happen with all of that?"

Naruto and Anko had their eyes wide. Anko because she knew something that bad would not be easily repaired. Naruto, because Akane told him how bad a pissed off woman can get. He started cringing at the thought. "I, uh, got to go. Sorry, mom. I'll talk to you later!" Naruto ran off scared as hell.

"What did I do wrong there?" Kushina asked no one in particular. Mikoto and Hikari shrugged.

Anko stood forward. "Thank Akane for that. He knows not to be near a pissed off woman. Especially 3 pissed off Kunoichi, who could kill if provoked. You see where that came from? One slip up, and he could easily be hurt, mangled, or worse."

"That's what was going through his mind?" Mikoto asked, earning a nod. "At least, that's what I think. Although, he may have misinterpreted it as when they are pissed off at anyone, not just him. I think I'll have to find out his reasons, and let him know what should and shouldn't bother him." Anko said as she began to walk off.

"She'll be a somewhat good match for him one day, don't you think Kushina?" Mikoto asked.

Kushina shook her head. "They see each other as siblings, not friends. If they went farther than friends, and she became his girlfriend, I would be surprised."

-with Anko-

Anko had just arrived on top of the Hokage Stone faces. Right on top of his father's, the Yondaime, head. She found Naruto sitting there, still somewhat scared. "Hey, nii-san. What's wrong?"

"Akane told me how dangerous an angered woman is. Knowing my mother, she would probably kill anyone she was pissed off at. I, uh, left so I don't get caught in the crossfire." Naruto said.

"Well, something you should know about that." Anko said, sitting next to him. "That danger is only present if they are angry at you. Their anger is on that Danzou guy. I can almost guarantee that he won't survive tomorrows council. You are her son, and him going after you is what is pissing her off. She won't go after you, of that I'm certain."

Naruto noticeably calmed down. "Thanks nee-chan."

"Don't mention it. Now, you gonna stay up here all night, or do you wanna get home? It is getting late." Anko asked, getting a nod in response. "Then let's go. You might feel like you want to avoid your mother when she is the slightest bit angry, but unless it is directed at you, she wouldn't hurt you. I can say that for a fact."

Naruto nodded. He hadn't been attacked since he met up with Anko and had been staying with her. He knew he was safe with her.

-that night-

Anko and Naruto were getting ready for bed. People started knocking on the front door. Naruto and Anko tensed. They both got themselves ready for a fight, and the door was kicked open.

A number of villagers had come in ready to beat the hell out of Naruto, but Anko was a little faster and she knocked a few of them out. Naruto went ahead and hit a few more of them that went after Anko.

They covered each other every time they themselves couldn't, but didn't kill anyone. After about 5 minutes, 20 or so bodies lay on the floor, all unconscious, but none dead.

Anko looked at their handiwork. "Think we overdid it, Naruto?"

Naruto was panting. "No, I think they had it coming. Besides, none of them are really dead. Let's just tie them up and then take them to some trees in the nearby forests." Anko nodded.

"I agree. Let's do just that."

About 30 minutes later, they all woke up to find themselves strapped to a tree. A couple of them noticed Anko. "That's what you get for messing with my family. You're lucky we didn't kill you guys. Later." Anko disappeared from their sight.

Naruto and Anko were laughing at their faces when they got back to the house. "The look on their faces was gold!" Naruto said, still laughing.

Anko was laughing as well. "You know, that was probably the most fun I've had in my life."

They finally settled down enough to talk normally, and get some shut eye. Naruto noticed that there was someone else, ready to stop them before they had jumped into the fight, and then he stayed back.

An ANBU in a dog mask looked on the house in a smile. "Looks like they can take care of themselves just fine. I'll have to let Kushina know about this. Still the way Naruto was fighting was a little surprising. That must be the Kitsune style I heard about from Akane."

"and you'd be right on that, Kakashi." A voice said behind Kakashi. How he didn't realize who was there, he didn't know. Naruto was standing right behind him.

"I know you were watching, and about to step in. We showed you we can take care of ourselves." Naruto said.

"Yeah, I noticed. My mind is not yet at ease, but that's due to Danzou. You know why, right?" Kakashi said, mask still on. Naruto nodded.

"Well, that was just a bit of a show for you to watch, anyway. Aside from the fact Akane still needed to rest up from when we removed the mark from Anko-neechan, I felt like we needed to show you that."

Kakashi nodded. "Would you like me to tell your mother about this little incident? After all, you did take care of it yourself." Naruto shook his head.

"I don't think that will be necessary. If any council members don't make it tomorrow, that's because they are currently tied up in the forest to the south." Naruto said.

Kakashi nodded. "Well, I saw how well you work together with Anko. That was impressive. You fought together as if your minds were linked together. Mind if I ask how?"

Naruto smirked. "It's because we are. Akane set up a mental link for when the two of us are together, and the villagers attack either of us. This way, we can protect each other better, and also give them a pounding." Naruto's smirk widened. "By the way, this is a Shadow Clone." He went poof, leaving a dazed Kakashi behind.

"Okay, I seriously think Akane is a better teacher than even I am." Kakashi said, as he continued to watch the place for an incoming attack while they slept.

00000x00000

Chapter 2 end!

Well, that's about all for this chapter.

Rate, Review, Comment, whatever you call it. Give me your opinion on the story, Please!

Later!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**Chapter 3**

The village council had met up, and was waiting for the Hokage patiently.

"Where the hell is that old fool?" One of the civilian councilors said.

Okay, maybe not that patiently. Sarutobi and 2 others walked into the room about a minute after that outburst. The other 3 were completely hidden, but one was noticeably smaller than the other.

Sarutobi walked to his place and sat down. The heads of the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans had their wives there, though no one but themselves knew. "This council will now convene. I have a few things to say this time around, and no one will interrupt."

The Uchiha clan head, Fugaku Uchiha spoke up. "I believe it has to do with the 2 behind you?"

Sarutobi looked at him. "You are correct, Fugaku. I believe you wish to know who they are?"

Fugaku shook his head. "My wife wanting to be here means I know full well who one of them are."

"As do I. In fact, I know who both of them are. The fact that both Hikari and Mikoto are here, when they do not care much for council affairs is proof that they already knew what was going to come." Hiashi Hyuuga, the Hyuuga Clan head, stated.

The others simply looked at them both. "What do you mean?" Shikaku, the clan head of the Nara clan, asked.

Hiashi smirked, as did Fugaku, and their wives. "You will see soon enough. Although, I do fear for the civilian Councilors in the room. Aside from Ichiraku, of course."

Teuchi Ichiraku nodded. "I already know the full situation, as well. I'm not saying anything on the matter. I just know that I'm safe."

Sarutobi nodded. "Well then, I take it your wives found one of them before they could find a good spot."

Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Chouza Akimichi had wide eyes. Shibi Aburame did not have an expression, but a few sweatdrops formed on his face. Inoichi had just gotten a telepathic message.

"_It's just as you suspect Inoichi. And it has been a while. You know who I am, and the one next to me is my son. Little word of warning though. Don't say anything on this matter. It will be revealed soon enough."_

If Inoichi's eyes could get wider, let them do so. _'No way. Kushina is back? And she has a son?'_

"_Yes, I am, and yes I do. That is also the reason that, aside from Teuchi Ichiraku, the Civilian council has to fear my blade. Danzou is not getting off the hook, no matter what, for wanting to turn my son into a mindless, emotionless drone. Hence why Mikoto and Hikari are here. Along with Kakashi, but he is in his ANBU mask."_

True enough Kakashi was there as well, wearing a dog mask. _'Well, Kushina. I pity Danzou. He's got himself a fate worse than death. Still, I wonder what you came up with? Should I ask, or wait?'_

"_Wait and see. Also, there is more to this meeting than that. In fact, 3 points will be made, just to rub it in the face of the council. Danzou is going to die after that."_

Inoichi noticeably cringed, people turning their heads to him. A lot of the clan heads, civilian and Shinobi alike turned to him. Fugaku, Mikoto, Hiashi, Hikari, and Sarutobi simply smirked. Even the elders turned to him. Shikaku asked the question on the minds of most of them. "What did you find out, Inoichi?"

"I'm not gonna say everything, but I will say that some of the people in here will not leave this room alive. I know one for a fact won't." Shikaku and Chouza just gaped at him. Shikaku looked at Chouza. "I think I figured out who both of the hooded ones are, and the Civilian councilors are in massive trouble for what they did to the one of them."

Inoichi nodded in cold sweat. The civilian councilors looked at Shikaku. Danzou's visible eye widened. He just realized he had made a massive mistake over the last 4 years. He looked at the taller hooded figure in fear.

Sarutobi looked at the council with a smirk. "Well, I believe that, since the Shinobi clans have figured out who one of them are, I believe that will have her reveal herself." The taller figure took down her hood and removed the mask hiding her face.

What the council saw, though, was not what they were expecting. Rage, hatred, and intent to kill. "Most of you know me as the Red Death. A few of the Civilians in here may call me: your Executioner. Before that happens, I'll give you a chance to explain yourselves for attacking my _son_." Kushina said, her voice cold. Danzou froze where he stood. He knew who it was, and knew full well that he would die right then and there.

The Shinobi Clan Heads looked at her in shock... aside from Fugaku and Hiashi. They knew who she was after for sure, and knew that they were safe. The others were simply frozen where they sat. They didn't move. One of them had the gall to yell at her. "What the hell are you talking about? The only one to ever be attacked in this village is a Demon that has no p..." That councilor had lost his head thanks to Kushina's Sword. "Anyone else want to call my son a Demon?" Kushina's voice brought fear into the Civilian council.

Another one had the gall to speak up. "Why would someone like you give birth to one such as that De..." Another one to lose their head, courtesy of Kushina Uzumaki.

"Kushina, that's enough!" Sarutobi yelled to catch her attention.

"Sarutobi, you know full well how the Uzumaki Clan treats their family. I will not stand by and let them insult my son by calling him a demon in my presence. They have no idea what he truly is, and that makes me sick." The Council just looked at her. Everyone that knew who she was, knew that she wasn't kidding. Danzou was just about ready to run for it.

"You're not going anywhere Danzou." Danzou stopped cold turkey. "For even thinking about turning my son into a mindless, emotionless drone, you're not getting off the hook like some of the civilians in here might."

Mikoto, Hikari, and Kakashi was ready for a fight, if their eyes, that were visible, didn't show that, nothing would. Shikaku looked at Mikoto and Hikari and said the thing on everyone's mind. "Well, Danzou's a goner." Everyone that wasn't scared out of their wits looked at him. "Two powerful Doujutsu from two females active at the same time, at the mention of what he has done? If that's not enough proof he's been made a target of the only successful full Kunoichi Squad in all of Konoha's history, I don't know what is."

A younger voice spoke. "Actually, make that 3 people with a powerful Doujutsu." The one with the hood still on said. "The other one in a mask also has his active, it's just hidden behind the mask. This means Danzou has 3 Extremely pissed off kunoichi, and one of the most Dangerous Ninja in the village after his head."

Sarutobi looked at the young hooded figure. "Why don't you reveal yourself as well?"

"With pleasure." The figure took down his hood and removed his mask. "Before you take to calling me the Demon Brat, remember my mother's words earlier. Even if I've only known her for less than a day, I know that when someone insults her family, they will die, and she will carry it out herself. I also know who is after Danzou for wanting to turn me into one of his weapons. In fact, all four of them are here." Naruto said with a determination that dwarfed Kushina's warnings.

Fugaku, Hiashi, and Shikaku looked at him with interest. Hiashi said something first, though. "I should have known it was you. If anything, I'm a little surprised that you were her son."

"I'm not. In fact, I knew before any of the others did. Aside from Mikoto and the ANBU over there." Hikari said in a confident, yet dangerous tone.

Sarutobi looked at the ones mentioned. "I take it you want his head on a platter?"

Kushina spoke up. "Try a Golden Platter. A Silver one just won't cut it for me." Everyone except Danzou cringed at the comment. Danzou was about to call for his Root troops when Naruto spoke up. "Hey, mom. If he calls his Root Shinobi, mind if go after them as well? I'd like a piece of the action, as does Akane."

Kushina looked at him in surprise, her anger gone for a second. "Why not? It would make for great training."

Danzou was immediately scared. "ROOT! GET OUT HERE NOW!"

Several Shinobi came in and was ready to attack. Naruto's eyes went from Cerulean to Red as he went into his stance. The Shinobi heads turned their attention to Naruto, while Hikari, Kushina, Mikoto and Kakashi looked at the bastard that wanted to make Naruto a weapon. The Civilian Councilors went under their seats in fear. Sarutobi looked at Naruto as well and found him in complete control of it. Danzou shouted. "ATTACK!"

Kakashi and Kushina went after Danzou while Hikari and Mikoto went after the Root Ninja. Naruto joined in with them making Shadow Clones every now and then. One hit from Naruto cracked bones or tore apart flesh. There were a few swipes from Naruto that Normally would have missed, but tore off a limb. The Shinobi in the room were trying to dodge the strikes from the Angry Kunoichi while watching Naruto. Whether Naruto missed with a kick, punch or swipe, there was a scratch or a missing limb on the Target.

Sarutobi was watching Naruto fight with interest. _'If Guy were here, he'd be in awe at Naruto's Taijutsu.'_ was the only thought that reached his mind. The Root Ninja were thinning quickly thanks to Mikoto, Naruto, and Hikari. Naruto, with his massive Stamina, Shadow clones, and the Kitsune Style Taijutsu, being the Host of Akane, the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Mikoto, the Raven Princess of the Uchiha Clan, and expert wielder of the Sharingan. Hikari Hyuuga, shy yet calm Jyuuken user and one of the few that have mastered the Byakugan.

Needless to say, the Root Ninja were dispatched of somewhat easily. Naruto didn't use much Chakra himself, or resort to Akane's Youki. There was no cloak, and he didn't even look winded. Naruto, Mikoto and Hikari looked towards Danzou. Naruto was calm and collected, much to everyone's surprise. "Hey, Girls. I think we should torture him to get everything else he's hiding out of him. I know trying to turn me into his weapon would want you to kill him, but he could be hiding more than that." Naruto said, his tone still a calm breeze.

Mikoto and Hikari looked at him. "What do you have in mind, Naruto?"

"Well, I'm not good at interrogation, but I think Akane could do a lot better than Ibiki Morino himself." Naruto said, causing Kushina to back away from Danzou.

"Well, then? Let's do it her way, shall we?" Kushina asked. Naruto walked towards Danzou.

"Here's a little trick we call: Kitsune Nightmare Realm!" Naruto's eyes opened up wider than before, his Blood Red eyes firing a Pulse straight at Danzou, who collapsed. Everyone looked at Naruto. "He's not dead, not yet. Akane will make sure that he survives."

-Kitsune Nightmare Realm-

Danzou was in a place one could only describe as hell. A woman with 9 fox tails flowing behind her was right in front of him, in what seemed to be a massive cave, with lava flowing in rivers everywhere. There was also Black Flames towering right before the walls of the cave.

"**Welcome, Danzou, to the Kitsune Nightmare Realm. I'd could say this place will be a safe haven for you, but I'd be lying. You have over 120 hours to admit everything you have done, or be tortured during the entire time, by me and several others. Ah, here they come now."**

A giant skeleton-like Fiend (A/N: If you know Yu-Gi-Oh, think Summoned Skull, just bigger and the bones are a Blood Red.) came out and landed to Danzou's left. A Black Dragon with 3 heads and 4 wings, (A/N: High level Members in Runescape, think the KBD with 4 wings and you got a good picture.) swooped down to Danzou's right. Three 2 story Giants seemingly made of Fire appeared behind Danzou.

Danzou was tied down by an unknown force. **"Meet the Lord of Fiends: Gonta, Black Dragon Elder: Bunta, and Fire Giant Lords: Koume and Sakai. Along with me, Akane Kitsune. Heir to the Kitsune Clan. Anything you'd like to say before we begin your long hours of Torture?"**

Danzou spat at Akane. **"Wrong choice."** Koume and Sakai turned their arms into cannons and fired a few blasts of lava straight at Danzou. He screamed in pain. "Fuck... you..."

"**Bunta?"** Akane stated. Bunta opened all 3 jaws, and fired Fire from the one on his right, Ice from the middle, and Lightning from the one on his left. They all circled around each other, forming one beam that hit Danzou head on. Danzou screamed even louder than last time. (A/N: It was almost to the point of the Sasuke fan club in canon.) Akane stuck a finger in her ear to clear out some wax. **"How about now? We could go for this the entire time you're here."**

Danzou was breathing heavily. "F-fine... I'll talk..."

"**Oh come on!"** Gonta yelled.

"**You'll get your shot later, Gonta."** Akane said. Gonta huffed.

30 minutes later, Danzou had said everything. **"You lied on a few points. Gonta?"**

"**Finally!"** Gonta charged lightning into his hands, and pointed them at Danzou. **"Raiton: Twin Lightning Cannons!"** Both arms fired Lightning Bolts right at Danzou. His scream of pain had just gotten worse than before.

Danzou groaned. **"You're not dying on us yet, Danzou."** Akane sent some fire his way, healing him, just enough to talk. "I told you... everything I know."

"**Bullshit!"** Bunta yelled. Akane nodded. **"You're in league with both Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha. We want to know why, so TALK!"**

"I told you... everything I know. He didn't tell me anything else." Danzou said. Akane found out he was telling the truth on that last sentence. **"And that invasion?"**

"I have told you everything. I do not know of Madara's involvement in it."

"**What about that little gang called Akatsuki?"** Bunta asked ready to strike him.

"It is growing, only S-class Rogues can join. I have no information on members." Danzou replied, still weak.

"**The leader?"** Koume asked.

"He is known only as Pein. That's all I know aside from him being hailed as a God in Hidden Rain."

"**He is telling the truth there. Knowing Madara, though, he is the true leader, using Pein as a front."** Akane said. The other four nod.

"**Can I get one more shot at him?"** Gonta asked.

"**Why not? God knows he's gonna have hell to pay when he gets put back in his body."** Akane said.

"**Oh boy. I'm gonna enjoy this."** Gonta said. **"You're not getting it all Gonta. Koume and I are getting another shot at him. Bunta, you up for another round of the Tri-Breath?"** Sakai stated.

"**You think I'm too old to do this? Oh come on! I could fire 20 more one right after another."** Bunta said.

"**You know what? I'll join you in this."** Akane said, going into her demonic state.

"**Raiton: Twin Lightning Cannons!"**

"**Katon: Fox Flame Blast!"**

"**Katon: Twin Flare Cannons!"**

"**Katon: Twin Flare Cannons!"**

"**Tri-element Breath!"**

5 strikes from 4 directions hit Danzou, making him scream louder than ever before.

(A/N: Good thing he's no longer in Konoha. That scream would've split the Hokage Monument in half from 10 miles out, bursting the ears of anyone that isn't deaf, or in a deaf-like state. Might even wake a few dead people. Yes, It was that painful)

"**That's more like it. I'll play this back to the village council, and allow him to die in his own body. I guess that's enough for now."** Akane said. The others nodded.

"**You mind if the one that sent him here summon me if his life's in danger?"** Gonta asked. **"I've been bored as of late."**

Akane looked at him. **"I'll think about it. If the time comes, we'll bring you out. However, you'd only have a few targets, and a lot more to protect if it does come to that."**

"**Fine by me. As long as I can have some fun."** Gonta said. **"I'll be waiting."**

Everyone left. **"Alright, Danzou. Time to bring you back to your body for your execution."**

-Village Council Chambers, Konoha-

Naruto had just sent Danzou to the Kitsune Nightmare Realm. Everyone looked at him. Shikaku asked him a question. "What did you just do?"

"With Akane Kitsune's help, the one you know as the Kyuubi no Yoko, I sent him to the Kitsune Nightmare Realm. His body was left behind, but his mind and soul were both sent there. Akane is performing the interrogation there." Naruto said, shocking everyone. "Akane and I are somewhat good friends, and has no hatred to the village at this point. However, anyone that attacks me is angering her. This means you not only have my mother to worry about, you also have an angry Kitsune on your tail. Not a good combination."

Kushina looked at him. "Are you really willing to tell them that?"

Naruto nodded. "It's a good idea for them to know the Akane is not a threat unless they kill me before I'm supposed to die. Although," Naruto turned back to the council. "You're going to need to know the full story of what happened that day. Along with how Akane felt about it. I will say she was pissed that day, though not at the Village. No, the one she was pissed at has put her under a Genjutsu not once, but twice."

Several eyes widened. Shikaku looked at him. "Then who was she mad at? Or do I even want to know?"

Naruto sighed. "It was someone who was reported killed by the Shodaime. Madara Uchiha. That Sharingan of his influenced her bloodlust both times. From her point, the Shodaime managed to release the Genjutsu on her the first time around. With no one to free her from it this time, she was forced to attack that which she protects. She is not a mindless beast, as I have found out. If the emotion wheen she speaks his name is anything to go by, Madara is the only person she considers a threat. She knows he'll be after her again. For that reason, and a few others that Kakashi and my mother know, she has decided to train me in the ways of the Kitsune."

Inoichi grinned at him. "Inoichi, I know you're reading my mind. You can easily find out if what I'm saying is the truth or not, unless she were here herself. She would force you out, unless I let you in." He simply nodded.

"I realize that. In fact, I'm surprised at all of what she told you. Everything she's taught you so far, is far above the level one your age is supposed to be. Also, the Kitsune Taijutsu style is a lot better than anything that our own Taijutsu Specialist can cook up." Inoichi said.

Naruto nodded. "I know. Thing is, what you saw in me earlier was only an adept at the style. A Master of that style is far more dangerous. In fact, I was only using the basics for it. None of the advanced moves I already know, which isn't much, mind you. I have a long way to go to master it, and you already saw how devastating it was with an adept at it."

Shikaku spoke up. "If you are only an adept at it, why did you even want to do that? It couldn't have been training."

"Experience, and a test for myself. I guess you could call it a field test." Naruto said, while his mother sent him a glare.

"You do realize what would have happened if you slipped up, do you not?" Kushina said, making him cringe.

"Sorry, mom. Still, Akane and I were working together on that, so if I slipped up, she would correct it in a millisecond. That was one of the reasons they got cut after a wide enough dodge. That was her making the corrections. You could say we were working together the entire time." Naruto said.

Shikaku nodded. "Okay, this Nightmare Realm. How does it work?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know the full details, but Akane currently isn't here. She's there with him, probably with a few others as well. Once she's done she'll be brought back to the seal, and Danzou should be returned to his body. The Kitsune Nightmare Realm is about as much a mystery to me as it is to you at this point. One only knows the full details if one or more of the following conditions are met:

1 - You are a Kitsune yourself.

2 - You have used it yourself to the full extent.

3 - You have had it used against you.

Unfortunately, or Fortunately, depending on your point of view, I don't fall under any of those conditions. That's basically all I can say on that."

Inoichi nodded. "I have one more question." Naruto turned to him. "Why did you let her train you in the first place? I may be able to figure it out myself, but I'm sure the council will want to hear it from you."

"Living a life like I have so far, you learn when people are lying to you. Not once did she lie to me that day. She even figured I wouldn't believe her back then. When I could tell she wasn't lying, I told her, and she... she shed a tear. If someone said demons are heartless, they lied. Akane obviously has one, as the events that day proved. Besides, even if she wasn't in control that day, she still wants to make up for it. Although, she does want Madara dead. After failing to kill him once, and being controlled by him again, wouldn't you want to kill him?" Naruto asked the council.

Most of them looked at each other, some talking, others silent. Sarutobi looked at Naruto. His face didn't register it, but he was shocked. "Naruto, I have one last question for you."

Naruto looked at him. "Not like I haven't already answered too many questions, but fire away."

"Why do you wish to get rid of Madara in Akane's stead? If there's one thing in my life that I'm curious about, it's that."

Naruto looked in thought. "You know, I haven't really thought much on that. Although, now that I think about it... I'd say it's because he's a threat to the peace, and causes Nature to go out of whack. Living for as long as he has is just not natural. If there is a way he can be stopped, Akane and I will find it, and we will do so, together."

Naruto tensed. _'Akane?'_

"_**Yes, I'm back. I got all the information I can get out of him. Do you mind if I cast the Other World Genjutsu to show them?"**_

_'Okay, hang on.'_

Kushina looked at him. "Sweetie?"

"Akane just got back. She's going to show everyone the interrogation through a Genjutsu she actually taught me. Something I can only do because of her." Naruto said. Behind them Danzou groaned.

"_**You won't have to worry about him trying to escape. His mind and soul are not completely in one piece. You'll find out why soon."**_

Naruto went through a few handsigns. "Other World Jutsu!" The village council room had changed into a cave, with Danzou and a Half-fox, Half-Human, with 9 tails. A red head appeared out of a glow that came out right beside Naruto. "Akane?"

"**Apparently, when we cast the Jutsu at the same time, I appear next to you. I'll explain what's going on here. This Genjutsu can play a memory of anyone, or even be used to change a room into anything else. It won't wear off on it's own normally. If it's playing a memory, no one can interfere with the events that happen. However, if that is the case, it will dispel the moment the Memory is complete, or if the caster ends it early."** Akane said. Naruto nodded.

"Just watch and you'll see." Naruto said. Danzou was looking like he was scared shitless, though only Inoichi noticed. Inoichi decided that watching the memory would be the best idea to find out why he was so scared.

The memory itself took almost an hour, then it dispelled. The room turned back into the old Council Chamber. Everyone present looked at Naruto, then at Danzou. Sarutobi looked pissed. "2 counts of Treason, 4 counts of Conspiracy, 1 count of attempted murder on a civilian, and several thousand counts of Kidnapping? ANBU!"

Kushina looked at Sarutobi. "No, leave the ANBU out of this." Sarutobi looked at her. "I said I would take him out, and I intend to."

Mikoto, Hikari, Kakashi and Naruto stepped to right beside her. Hikari spoke. "You're not doing this alone Kushina. Remember, we had a plan."

Mikoto then said, "We're going to help out."

Kakashi also decided to speak. "You're not stopping us for this, and now we have more reason to do so."

Naruto then spoke up as well. "I got a score to settle as well. He's the one who tipped off Madara in the first place. That gives me an incentive to help out."

Kushina smirked. "Is there any long range Jutsu she taught you?"

Naruto smirked. "I thought you'd never ask." Naruto held out his hand, palm facing Danzou. Black Energy formed a sphere. "I'm ready."

Shikaku was interested. Inoichi knew what that was. Sarutobi was wondering what the hell he was doing.

The others in that group of 5 went through a few handsigns.

Kakashi, "Fuuton: Wind Cyclone Spear!"

Kushina, "Suiton: Liquid Bullet!"

Mikoto, "Katon: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"

Hikari, "Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"

Naruto, "Hijutsu: Gravity Cannon!"

The 5 Jutsu hit Danzou at once, obliterating his body. There was a surprising lack of a shockwave, considering there was an explosion. Shikaku was the first to ask about it.

Naruto turned to him, panting. "The Gravity Cannon. After it hit, it made a barrier around it, effectively erasing the shockwave when it reached the barrier. Now, if you don't mind... I'll pass out now." Naruto collapsed, and Kushina caught him. "Looks like he's exhausted a lot of his Chakra. I'll take him home."

"No need." One of the civilian councilors said. "After what he managed to get out of that guy, my opinion of him changed." The other civilian councilors nodded in agreement. "Plus, with him being your son, no one would dare attack him, lest they wish to die." More nods.

Kushina smirked. "Sarutobi, why don't you let them know the other reasons for calling this meeting. More specifically, what he did yesterday. One of those topics has basically been made public when I cut off a few heads. Another, is basically useless, and the final one... That one was just to rub it in their face at first. Now, I think it will just solidify the fact he's useful for this village, and can help out in more ways than one."

Sarutobi nodded. "You are all familiar with Anko Mitarashi, are you not?" Everyone looked at him. Fugaku looked at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, along with Akane, has gotten rid of the last connection between her and Orochimaru. That mark is gone, as are any effects it brought."

Kushina looked at him. "The only thing she has in common with that bastard now is their fighting style and Summons. That's it." Sarutobi looked at her. "Well, he can't change that, now can he?" Sarutobi asked sarcastically. Kushina chuckled.

"Well, we're out." Kushina shunshin'ed out, with Naruto in her hands.

Everyone looked at the Hokage. Kakashi spoke up. "Lord Hokage, I have one more thing that may be a good idea to be brought up."

Everyone turned to him. "I have seen Akane, and she does have an Alias for him, should he need it. Kitsune Warrior is the one she came up with, however, should he take it, is up to him."

Everyone murmured amongst themselves. Everyone nodded. Even the Hokage was impressed. "Coming up with an Alias for him to use if he wishes... She is clever."

Shikaku nodded. "She's a Kitsune. They are pranksters by nature, meaning they have to be clever. I just hope she doesn't have him do a few pranks."

Everyone looked at him, and then nodded. Sarutobi nodded. "If no one else has something to say..." no one spoke up.

"This Council is dismissed." Sarutobi finished. Kakashi grinned under his masks. (A/N: I say masks because he has 3 on. 2 of which cover the bottom half of his face, the 3rd covering the entire face.)

Everyone left the room, aside from Kakashi and Sarutobi. "Lord Hokage, do you think he will take the Nickname?"

"I don't know, myself. We will have to wait and see." Sarutobi replied.

-5 days later-

Hiruzen Sarutobi had told the village of Naruto's parentage 3 days ago, thus stopping any possible attacks on him from the village itself. Naruto hadn't been training, but instead, had been resting up. That battle he went into wore him out badly. The final straw was using the Gravity Cannon. After a fight like that, using the Gravity Cannon was a bad idea, and now he knows that.

Naruto woke up to find himself in a Hospital Room. He wasn't bandaged, merely sleeping. Kushina was right there when he woke up. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"Like I was beat half to death, except without the after pain. How long was I out?" Naruto asked.

"5 days. I was worried you know. That Gravity Cannon Jutsu you used. Why did you use it?" Kushina asked.

"My only Long Range attack. I know it doesn't use much Chakra, but after that long battle, and using 2 more Jutsu that would probably make Chuunin pass out after using it at full strength, not really a good idea. If not for Akane, I would've died after using the first one. I already knew that, but I thought I still had enough for one Gravity Cannon. I guess it wasn't that good of an idea." Naruto replied.

"Do you know how much I was worried? You could've died." Kushina had tears in her eyes.

"I know how worried you were. Regardless of the fact I was unconscious, I could still hear everything. I'm surprised he told everyone of my parents. Then again, I do think it was somewhat necessary. What was their reaction?"

"I could tell a lot of them had faces that was saying "What the Hell?" but some were even worse than that. A few people passed out. Hikari's eldest daughter was one of them. She's so much like her mother was at her age. Still, she has little self confidence. I talked about it to Hikari, and we came up with a bit of a solution. That won't be happening for a while though, so I won't bore you with the details now." Kushina said.

"If you think I could help, why wouldn't I want to?" Naruto asked.

"It's not that, but you're close. The only thing keeping us from doing so is the Hyuuga council. The majority of them still don't like you. Some of them didn't believe the announcement."

"I'm guessing you want to get rid of a few of them?" Naruto asked, eyebrow raised.

Kushina shook her head. "That wouldn't help one bit, but I will say the thought crossed my mind. In the end, I decided against that. Even I have some self control. Hikari, on the other hand, is another story. She already went after one of them. He's not dead, but he's lost a few things he would consider precious."

"She went after his family? That's just wrong."

Kushina shook her head. "You're right on it being wrong, but no. What she took from him, every Hyuuga Male cherishes. His jewels, and Eyes. He was kicked out of the Clan after that." Naruto chuckled at that. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just funny that a member of the Hyuuga clan cares about me enough to torture their own Clan members." Naruto said, still chuckling. Kushina started to giggle.

At that moment Hikari, Mikoto, and Sarutobi entered. The latter spoke. "I see you're awake, young Naruto."

"Don't ask me how I feel, because it hasn't changed since Mom asked that, aside from the laughs she got out of me." Naruto said. Sarutobi nodded at him and looked at Kushina.

"What made him laugh?"

"Hikari's reaction to the Hyuuga Council." Kushina smiled. Hikari looked at them both. "Why would he laugh at that?"

"It's funny that you would choose me over your own clan members, and even get them kicked out because they didn't agree with whatever it was you wanted, though I have a feeling it has something to do with me." Naruto said.

"So, Naruto. Why did you do finish him off like you did, if you knew you were gonna collapse afterwards?" Mikoto asked.

"I didn't think I used that much Chakra beforehand. Still, I am only 4, so I guess it's to be expected after a fight like that and two powerful Jutsu, regardless of the fact it only uses up a small amount of Chakra. My body just couldn't take it. If not for Akane, I would've passed out after the Kitsune Nightmare Realm was used." Naruto said. "I've still got a lot to learn. Even with my Chakra Control so far, I can't say I have complete control over it."

Everyone present nodded. "Hey, Old man, I have a favor to ask."

Sarutobi and Kushina looked at him. "Once I get out of here, I think my mom and I should head out on a training trip for a few months. I think it would be better if I train elsewhere, and see new things, you know, keep surprises for the village when I get back."

Mikoto and Hikari looked at him in shock. Sarutobi just looked confused. Kushina simply smirked. "As the others in here are wondering the same thing, why would you want to do that?"

"I find that I learn better by doing then by listening to an explanation. What better way to do that than outside the village?" was Naruto's reply. Kushina simply nodded. "Just like his father. I also think Kakashi should come with us. He could teach Naruto a few things as well. Things I never could."

Sarutobi looked at Kushina. "You don't seriously think that it would be a good idea, do you?"

Kushina nodded. "I'd be with him, and Iwa still fears me. Once word reaches them that Minato had a son, they will be after him. With me in the area, it's not going to be easy to get to him. With Kakashi there as well... You could say he's obviously set. Besides, Kakashi is one of the only ones that knows how to use the Rasengan. Aside from Minato and Kakashi, the only other one to be able to master it was Jiraiya. Both of which are close to our family, so you can see how it would be."

Sarutobi sighed. "I think I can indulge a request such as that. No longer than a year though."

Naruto nodded. "That should be more than enough. I want to be able to hit the academy when the others my age do. I still know that I'd be holding back during that time, though. I've got a lot to learn, but I do learn fast, as I've found out."

Mikoto nodded. "I don't think the council will like this, though."

"Well, they can shove it." Naruto said. "I need to work on a lot of things, and perfect what I have as well. If you tell them it's so I can better protect the village, they shouldn't have any problems."

Everyone looked at him and smirked. Kushina smirked wider than the others. "I figured you'd say something like that. Like your father, you don't care for the council much. Same as me, actually. So, Hiruzen, what do you say?"

Sarutobi was still smirking. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but he does make several good points. You and Kakashi will be doing this as an A-rank mission, as requested by myself. That should be more than enough for this. I have a feeling that will keep them quiet about it after that."

Kushina groaned. "Please don't tell me I have to use my old ANBU mask." Sarutobi chuckled. "Don't worry, neither of you do. This would not be an ANBU mission, thus the masks will not be needed. Oh, and if you run into Tsunade, or Jiraiya: smack Jiraiya if he's being a pervert again, or knock some sense into Tsunade. I'll make that a secondary objective that is also optional."

"If I run into either of them, I intend to do just that. Tsunade will be coming back with me, without a doubt. I'll make sure of that." Kushina said.

Sarutobi nodded. "That's what we'll do then. An A-rank training mission consisting of you and Kakashi. It will be two-fold. Primary objective is to train Naruto Uzumaki, while Secondary objective is to bring Tsunade back. Jiraiya is more useful to the village outside the walls. Methods of training is up to you. Results of the training will not be revealed until you and Kakashi deem it time."

Kushina nodded. "Since we'll have to wait until he is discharged, the mission will start the day after that. Is that good enough?"

Everyone nodded. "Also, he will need to make a few friends his age, so if anyone would be a good candidate I could have them come here before you leave."

Kushina smiled. "Thanks, but I don't think that will be necessary. I don't think he will be in here for more than 2 more days. Knowing Akane, she's going to want him up and about as soon as possible. That's why he's up already."

Naruto nodded. "That's why I don't feel that exhausted right now. Also, while I was unconscious, I was meditating in my mindscape. That might have a few things to do with my recovery, as well." Kushina looked at him.

"Your Chakra levels are almost up to normal levels, and Akane still has a ways to go. Aside from that, he's good." Naruto nodded at that. "I still can't get up. My chakra levels may be good but it was my body that was exhausted, so that would explain why I can't move easily right now."

Sarutobi nodded. "Get some rest then, Naruto. You'll need it." Naruto closed his eyes and started snoring. "Kushina, you should leave him be, and let Anko see him for now."

"I was never against Anko coming to see him in the first place. It was everyone else that didn't like the idea." Kushina whispered. Sarutobi nodded. "Well, I'll let her know then. You should get everything ready while she waits in here, should she want to. I'm surprised you haven't moved into the old Namikaze Estate yet."

"We'll talk about that later. My son is trying to sleep right now, so let him sleep." Kushina said as the rest of them left. "Sleep tight my son." Kushina sat on the floor and started to meditate.

-the next day-

Naruto woke up in the same bed as before, his mother and Anko in the room both meditating. Naruto tried getting up, and found he could move around a lot easier than the day before. He got out of the bed, threw a few punches, and looked around. He jumped and did a backflip. He landed without a sound on his feet. Kushina and Anko noticed he was moving though, and opened their eyes.

"I see you're fine, nii-san." Anko said. Naruto didn't even look at her when he replied. "Yeah, I'm just making sure I'm back to normal so I can start training as soon as I can."

Kushina looked at him. "Well, you aren't just going to learn fighting during this trip, but other Ninja Arts as well. You know that, right?"

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, mom. I know. This will help me out a lot more than I could get here. I'm sorry we'd have to leave you behind Anko-neechan." Anko shook her head.

"It's alright, I understand that this is more family matter than I could be a part of."

Naruto looked directly at her. "That isn't it, and you know it. You may not be blood, but we _are_ family. Besides, someone has to be in the village that I know I can trust. Right now, you are among those few. Besides, unlike you, I am not a Ninja yet. This means I have more leeway than you do."

Anko looked at him in tears of joy. "Oh, Naruto-niisan."

"Don't worry about it, Anko-neechan. Anyway, aren't you going for Special Jounin? After all, you and I are the only ones that are on good terms with the Forest of Death." Naruto replied, making her nod.

"You don't want me to give that up, just to go with you? You really are better than they always said." Anko said.

Naruto smiled at her. "I knew you would get that pretty fast. You're not stupid like most say you are. You're not evil, either. You just had an idiotic bastard for a Sensei, and they treated you like trash because of what he did. If word hasn't gotten out about Danzou's involvement with Orochimaru, it will soon. Also, Akatsuki should not be a threat just yet. They haven't made any drastic moves according to what he said." Anko smiled, tears still on her face. Then she realized his first two sentences. She was about to ask him when he spoke up.

"I hear a lot more than most think. You could say I was listening in for things about you and what I heard would normally make me want to kill them. Still, I knew that if I did, I'd be proving their point that I was a Demon, even though I know full well I'm not." Anko put her hand down before she asked her question.

Kushina smirked. "Well, once the hospital Discharges you, which will probably be today, the next day is when we leave for the trip. It will give us time to pack up. I have a few things I'll need to get before anything else. I've been in here the whole time, not really leaving the room, unless it is to use the restroom, of course."

Anko nodded. "That she has. I'm actually a little worried about her well being. She did skip a few meals, after all." Kushina smiled nervously. "Yeah, well, it comes with being a mother. My son's well being comes before my own." Anko just looked at her. "When you have a child yourself, you'll know what I mean." Anko shrugged in response.

"In any case, should I let the doctors know?"

Naruto nodded. "I'm in good condition right now, and Akane is currently trying to figure out anything else that's wrong. So far, nothing."

Kushina and Anko nodded, while Anko went to get a doctor. _**"Naruto-kun, I finished checking everything. You're good in all areas. Could do better down there, though, but nothing could cause that right now. Hey, you're only 4 years old, after all."**_ Naruto blushed at that. Kushina saw the blush and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'd rather not say. Kind of personal." Naruto said, nervously. Kushina's other eyebrow raised.

"She didn't."

"She did. I still don't get why she tied that into the check, but hey. I can't complain, can I?" Naruto stated.

"She could've left the part about those out, you know." Kushina said.

"_**I know, I just wanted to mess with ya. It worked."**_ Akane was laughing in his head.

_'Ah, shut it.'_ "I really wish she didn't have to tease me about that." Naruto said. Kushina smirked.

"Prankster by nature, Vixen by heart. That is the way she's always been."

Naruto and Kushina both sighed. "Well, at least everything is good right now." Naruto said exactly what she said, causing Kushina to snicker.

"Naruto, I think she has a thing for you."

Naruto looked at her quizzically. "Do I even want to know?" Kushina shook her head, still snickering. "No, I suppose not."

"Then let's leave it at that." Naruto said as Anko came in with the doctor.

"Well then, it seems everything is in order. You just have to sign here, and that will be all." Kushina stepped up and signed it. "I'm his mother, so I can do this." The doctor nodded. "Alright, you're good to go, Naruto. Try to avoid exhausting yourself. Don't really want to see you in here again."

Naruto chuckled. "I'm not so sure about that. Given the 3 that will be teaching me for a while, I can't really say everything will be sunshine and daisies." Kushina and Anko nodded.

"Come on, soiichi. Let's get something to eat." Kushina said, as Naruto nodded, as he looked at Anko. "Yes, Anko is coming too."

"We already decided on where to go." Anko said.

"Did you decide? Or did mom?" Naruto asked.

Anko pointed at Kushina. "She decided, but not what I thought she would. Not saying I don't like choice, in fact I love it. We're going to Dango Shop!" Naruto smiled wider than before.

"Then let's go. Don't want to keep them waiting do we?" Naruto said as he ran to the door. Anko and Kushina laughed at his antics and caught up with him.

They reached the Dango Shop after 5 minutes. "Hey, Anko. I heard you went over to Ichiraku's a few days back. Didn't think I'd see you again."

Anko looked at him. "Did you really think I'd forget about your Dango, Onimaru? It is the best out there." Onimaru chuckled.

"Usual?"

"Actually, make it 12. Not sure how much Kushina would eat." Anko said, Kushina nodded.

Naruto looked at his mother. "You do realize she means trays, right?" Kushina looked at him skeptically. "I'll take that as a no."

"Anyway, let's have a seat." It wasn't long before 12 trays of Dango appeared in front of them. "Don't hold back, dig in!" Anko said, already chowing down on Dango. Naruto was eating some as well. Kushina just stared at them. She started eating some, and found out why they ate it so fast. "This is really good." She started eating faster. It wasn't even 10 minutes later that the entire thing was finished.

"I didn't think Dango could ever taste this good. I mean it's about as good as Teuchi's Ramen. My Ramen was a little better than his, but not by much. Still, as Dango, this is definitely the best I've ever tasted." Kushina said. Anko nodded. "Tell me about it. If I want ramen, I'd go Ichiraku's. If I want Dango, I'm here. They're both in a league of their own."

Naruto nodded at that. "I'd have to agree with you two there. I'd easily say they're on par with each other."

Onimaru looked at them. "What would you guys say if we teamed up and combined our menus?" Anko and Kushina looked at him with a surprised looked. Naruto noticed this, and found out what they would think almost instantly.

"I think that would make them both happy beyond belief. 2 great restaurants combined into one is what I'm thinking on that. They'd probably both be in heaven every time they went in." Naruto told him.

Onimaru just smiled. "Well then, I'll talk to him about it, maybe exchange recipes while we're at it. Share profits, recipes, basically have the same shop in 2 places. That would make for easier access wouldn't it?" Naruto nodded, while Kushina and Anko were off in their own little worlds.

"Well, I guess I better get them back to to Earth." Naruto bonked his mother and Anko on the heads. "Are you two done fantasizing now?"

Kushina and Anko looked at him with a death glare. "Uh... Sorry?" Onimaru looked at him. "You might wanna run, Naruto."

"You don't need to tell me twice." Naruto was already running out stand when he said that. Kushina and Anko looked at each other.

"He fell for it." Anko said, a smirk on her face.

"That he did, Anko. I think he'll think twice about hitting us on the heads."

Onimaru cleared his throat. "You do realize you were ignoring everything else, right?"

They looked at him quizzically. He decided to elaborate. "You were fantasizing about what would happen if Teuchi and I combined our shops. After your compliments to both, one would think you'd be fantasizing about that. He just tried getting you back down to Earth."

Kushina smirked. "We know." Anko smirked as well. "Yeah. It was just a warning for him."

"Well, you might wanna get going. Can't say everything is gonna be okay after that." Kushina and Anko got up and left. Anko paid for the Dango. "Thanks again Onimaru."

"No problem Anko. Good luck Kushina."

They were both out of the store in seconds. It took another 5 minutes to find Naruto. He tensed the moment they caught up with him. That wasn't all he did though. He dispelled himself, revealing himself to be a Shadow Clone. The chase went on longer, almost an hour before they found the original.

"Took you long enough." Naruto said. "Seriously, though. Have you calmed down enough for me to apologize?"

Kushina just smirked. "You didn't have to in the first place. That was basically a warning."

Anko smiled. "Although, you're obviously good at concealing your location."

Naruto smiled himself. "Having to hide from the villagers on a semi-daily basis, you pick up a few things. Especially when Ninja are mixed in there." Kushina and Anko looked at each other and nodded. "Well, you're good, we'll admit that. Now how about you try it again." Anko said smirking.

Naruto simply disappeared. "Alright let's go find him again." Kushina said.

They felt a chakra spike, and went off in that direction. Only for it to disappear before they could get there.

This time it took 12 minutes before one of them found him, but it was only a Shadow Clone. In all they were looking for the real him for hours. It was 6 hours before someone found him, but it wasn't Kushina or Anko.

The Genjutsu Mistress, Kurenai Yuuhi, was actually going through the forests, and actually detected a Genjutsu. She went up to it and looked directly at it. "Nice use of Genjutsu. However, even if it's faint I can still detect it. Drop it, and come out."

Naruto shimmered into existence. "You didn't find me, but instead found the Genjutsu. Nice. Name's Naruto Uzumaki. What's yours?"

Kurenai looked at him. "Hiding from people?"

"More like practicing stealth. I've been up there for hours. You're the first to actually notice the Genjutsu." Naruto said.

"Well, my name is Kurenai Yuuhi. I'm a Chuunin in this village. You don't look like your a day older than 5 years old." Kurenai said.

Naruto scratched his head. "Well... I'm only 4 years old. I guess I'll turning 5 next month." Her eyes widened. _'4 years old and can use an A-class Genjutsu? This kid is unreal!'_

"How did you come by an A-class Genjutsu?" Kurenai asked him.

"It's not really Genjutsu, but it's like one. It's a Kitsune Illusion. I mask my entire being, scent, Chakra, noise, everything. It's like I'm not even there." Naruto said, grinning widely.

"I'll buy. Who are you keeping away from?"

"My mom, Kushina, and my Nee-san, Anko. I've stayed hidden this long. I wonder if they forgot about me." Naruto said, grabbing his chin. After 10 seconds of thinking, Kushina and Anko landed in the area.

They were both panting. "How did you manage to stay hidden for 6 hours?" was Kushina's question. "Not even I'm that good."

"Did you forget I have Akane with me?" Naruto asked. Anko and Kushina slapped their heads. "I'll take that as a yes. So, do you think I have stealth down?"

Kurenai simply looked at him in awe. She turned to Kushina. "Exactly how long has he been hiding?"

"6 hours, 32 minutes." Kurenai did a double take to the Blonde Maelstrom. "You've had that thing up for that long?"

Naruto shrugged. "I just put it up and stayed put. You were the first to find it, but you didn't find me."

Kushina looked at Kurenai closely. "Kurenai? The Genjutsu Mistress?" Kurenai nodded. "That would be me. I was surprised, to say the least. I didn't see him, I couldn't even sense him, but I did pick up a Genjutsu. That's how he was there for so long."

Naruto scratched the back of his head, grinning nervously. Anko and Kushina looked at each other and nodded. "Well, you've got Stealth and hiding down. Not to mention Genjutsu. Anyway, we should get going. We have trip tomorrow. We're leaving bright and early."

Naruto nodded and walked over to Kushina. "Okay, let's go home then. I gotta tell you a few things I found out while I was waiting."

They made it to the Namikaze Estate. Kushina had to open it, since Naruto didn't know how to just yet. Naruto had started telling them what he found out from the Shadow Clones that had been found. It took 10 minutes for the juicy stuff to go by. He had heard a few things that he didn't feel comfortable sharing. He did hear a bit of a plan for something he thought was just sick. He told Anko, that part, so she could stop it while it happened. Kushina led him to his room, which was big compared to what he was used to.

He was packed up and ready to go the next morning. Kakashi was waiting at the gate. "You ready to go?"

Kushina and Naruto nodded. Kushina did raise an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you're on time, Kakashi."

"I can be on time when I need to be." Kakashi said with a sweatdrop.

"Well, let's get going." Naruto said. Kushina and Kakashi nodded.

After they walked for about an hour, Naruto had a question. "Where are we going first?"

"Actually, we'll be going around the Elemental Countries. We'll be avoiding Earth Country though. Your father was not liked in that country. In fact, most of the Ninja there feared your father, just like the villagers feared Akane." Kushina said.

Kakashi nodded. "His Hiraishin was the cause of that. Unfortunately, he never wrote it down anywhere, as far as I know."

Kushina smirked. "Actually, that's another reason we're heading out. He'll need to learn about seals, so he can use it." Kakashi looked at Kushina, shock written on his face. "I know the full details of it. He may not have written it down, but I did. Only an Uzumaki can open it, and since my son and I are the only ones left, as far as I know, we are the only ones able to open it. Kakashi, you remember where Uzushiogakure was, do you not?"

Kakashi looked at her. "Yeah, why?"

"I had it hidden there, that way only an Uzumaki could get to it, and if Naruto could find it, he could learn it, and use it. Since we're leaving the village, that's going to be one of our stops." Kushina making Kakashi go wide eyed with surprise.

Naruto watched the exchange with interest. "Is it such a big deal?"

Kakashi looked at him. "The Hiraishin Technique was what made your father the most dangerous Ninja in Konoha's history. It's what gave him the nickname Yellow Flash. When you can actually learn it, there will be a few things you'll need to know about it. Until then, put it out of your mind. Seals are necessary for it to work, however."

Kushina nodded. "That's why, on this trip you won't just be focusing on Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu. You'll also be working on Weapons training, and Fuinjutsu. By the time we're done with this trip, you'll be above Chuunin level."

Naruto nodded, and they kept walking.

Naruto was in for a tough year.

00000x00000

Chapter 3 end.

If you have any questions, leave a review. If you're wondering if Kakashi will teach him the Rasengan, you'll have to wait and find out. I will give a few parts of the journey, but that will be it. Other than that, it will only be summaries. We have a few stops to go over, but some of them will not be visited for a while.

For this reason, the next chapter will be filled with time skips. Don't get mad, or even pissed. I have my reasons, so don't ask why, or what order they will be going.

Later!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto/Shippuuden.

**Chapter 4**

It has been 3 months since Naruto had left Konoha with Kakashi and Kushina. Naruto has learned a lot in his time away. The first thing he was taught was Chakra Control. Namely, walking on water. He got that down after about a week.

The next thing he worked on was Ninjutsu, and Fuuinjutsu. He made quick work of the Basic Academy Jutsu. His stealth was on par with ANBU already, and Kakashi has confirmed that. His pen-man ship needed work, but he was still young. His sealing abilities was at the normal level for an Uzumaki Clan member of his age in about 3 weeks. As for Ninjutsu, aside from the Academy Jutsu, he was taught the Rasengan, and a few others that were not of an element, most of which were up to B-rank.

After about a month of traveling, they actually decided to stay in a Ninja Village. In particular, they stayed at Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village). They stayed there for about a week, meeting the local Jinchuuriki. He made a good friend in Yugito Nii. Yugito is the Jinchuuriki of the Nibi no Bakeneko, and Nibi exchanged a few thoughts with Yugito telling her about Akane. Needless to say, they struck up a friendship pretty quickly. He also met up with Kirabi, the Jinchuuriki of the 8-tails. His raps didn't make any sense to Naruto, but he didn't pay them any mind. They still became pretty good friends.

The next place they stopped at was Wind Country, and Sunagakure. He found Gaara all alone, wondering what was going on. He had found a friend in Gaara, and someone that knows loneliness. They stayed there for a few more weeks, since they had found out in Kumogakure that his main element was Wind. He played around with Gaara, knowing that they were both Jinchuuriki. Naruto wasn't scared of him, and Gaara was happy for the time he was there.

When Naruto had to leave, he decided to say goodbye, explaining the situation to Gaara. With a few pieces of advice, and a promise to meet again one day, and then left. Gaara was happy he met Naruto. It meant he had a friend, whether or not he was in the village, he intended to hold Naruto to his promise.

It wasn't long after that Gaara was attacked by his uncle, and ended up killing him. He found out what happened, and knew what he was told that night was not true. Naruto Uzumaki was the only true friend he had, and he knew it. They were both Jinchuuriki, and he was willing to try to stay sane until he met up with Naruto again.

After Naruto had left Sunagakure, he went towards the Land of Waves. He was 5 at this point and so our story continues.

-Boat to Wave Country-

Naruto, Kakashi and Kushina were on a boat heading towards Wave Country. "So, what kind of place do you think Wave Country is, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not completely sure. I'll be honest I've never been there myself, so all I know about it is from hearsay." Kakashi replied. Naruto had a thirst for knowledge, being 5 made him curious about a lot of things. Luckily he had been meditating a lot more, so he could sit still for a while. 7 hours, in fact. He wouldn't always be wired afterwards, but he was quite often.

When the boat docked, they found a few things didn't seem right. They went into a village and separated. Naruto found someone being beaten up. He got in the way, and stopped the blade that was going for her with his hand.

He had Chakra running through it, much to the surprise of the thug. He chopped the blade in half with his Chakra sharpened hand, scaring the guy out of wits. "Get lost, if you know what's good for you."

The thugs ran off, probably to tell whatever boss they had been following. He turned to the girl he just saved. "Hey, the name's Naruto Uzumaki. What's yours?" He held out his hand to her.

"Tsunami. You're quite brave, aren't you?" The woman asked.

Naruto nodded. "Well, I am training to become Hokage one day. I have a long way to go before that, though. After all, I am only 5 years old." Tsunami's eyes went wide.

"You're only 5? What are you doing out here alone?" she asked.

"Well, my mom and a Jounin from Konohagakure are in the area. Still, are you ok? After all, he was trying to beat you up." Naruto asked. Tsunami nodded.

"I think you should meet my family. Do you have any way to signal those two you told me about?" Tsunami asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I do. I don't see why I would need to, though. I still have at least 3 hours before I have to head back to them. They know I can handle myself against a few thugs."

Tsunami nodded. "Well, why don't we head back to my place. You could meet my son."

Naruto smiled. "Why not? If I get caught up in playing with him, you might have to remind me to signal them."

"Well, the house is this way."

After 5 minutes they came up on a house. Naruto was on alert, but didn't show it. When they got to the house, Tsunami looked at him. "Don't hold back, come on in."

Naruto did so hesitantly. "You have a hard time trusting people, don't you?" Naruto nodded. "There are a select few that I trust, and those people I know full well I could trust."

An old man came in. "Tsunami, who's the kid?"

"Hi, Father. This is Naruto. Regardless of his size, or age, he took on a few thugs that were attacking me. He scared them off, after cutting one of their swords with his bare hand." Tsunade said.

The old man smiled at Naruto. "I gotta say thanks, in case she didn't. What's your surname, anyway?"

Naruto looked at him. He didn't see any trickery in him. "Uzumaki. I heard about a kid named Inari here. I take it he's upstairs?"

Tazuna looked at him, and then at Tsunami. "How did he know that?" Tsunami shrugged her shoulders.

"That's an easy question for me to answer. I can sense Chakra levels, and there's only one other person in this house, and they're upstairs. So I took a guess, and figured it was Inari." Naruto said.

Tazuna looked at him skeptically. He saw that he wasn't lying. "Well then, Tsunami, why don't you get Inari down here? I'll sit with Naruto here, see if I can find out a few things about him."

Tsunami walked off. "Well, Naruto, I'm glad you helped out my daughter, but why did you do so?"

Naruto's face went hard. "I hate rapists, bullies, and arrogance. The guys that attacked her were being one of them, and if I had to guess, they would've made it 2 of them before they were done. I stepped in because of personal interests. I didn't care who it was I was saving. I just didn't like the fact they thought they could do anything they wanted to. I turned them down a notch."

Tazuna looked at his face. The fact his face went serious before he said anything, means he meant everything he said. "So, it wasn't because of her, but because of them?" Naruto nodded. "Okay then, how old are you?"

"I'm only 5 years old. I'm on a training trip with my mother and a Jounin from Konoha. That's all I'm saying on that. I'm not really supposed to signal them unless I get confronted by a Rogue Ninja, or 3 hours from now."

Tazuna looked at him skeptically. "I know it seems unbelievable, but it's true. Being the way I was when I was younger didn't give me many grounds for anything. I decided to prove I wasn't what they thought I was. For that reason, I had to train my Ninja skills at a much earlier age. In fact, I didn't even know who my mother was 4 months ago. I was four, and trying to get away from a mob that was after me. Any normal person would call it quits, and let them kill you. I'm not normal. Not by a longshot. I didn't give in to them. I didn't let them kill me. In the end, I decided to prove them wrong, by becoming a Ninja for that same village that despised me for something I had no control over."

Tazuna was getting a little angry at his story. "I wouldn't do anything to them, because that would only serve to prove that I am what they say I am: A Demon. I am not a demon, so I intend to prove them wrong there. If I attacked everyone that tried to kill me, I would be what they say. I wouldn't attack them, and if you feel like going over there to do just that, I'll say this: Don't bother. Regardless of the fact they did all of that, I don't blame them. They didn't know the full story, so it was ignorance and fear driving them. I can't blame them for that. Plus, my mom took care of that little problem when she found out I was alive."

Tazuna looked at him strangely. "Okay, so if that's everything you've been through so far, why bother to continue living there?"

Naruto looked him in the eye. "I said it before, and I'll say it again. In order to prove them wrong, I have to do what most people wouldn't do. I have already made a lot of progress since then, and still have a ways to go. My ultimate goal for this is to become Hokage. Since I'm only 5, I can't even enter the Academy yet, so this trip is the next best thing."

Tazuna nodded as Tsunami came in with a little boy, about a year younger than Naruto. "Hi there. I'm Inari." He had a smile on his face.

"Hi, I'm Naruto. Tazuna, sir, I guess we can talk later. I'm gonna play with Inari. Gotta have some fun, don't I?" Tazuna chuckled.

Tsunami sat down next to Tazuna. "That kid is a ball of surprises. No one would think a 5 year old could go through any of that, and still have the courage to keep going. His will is strong. Probably stronger than Kaiza's." Tsunami looked at him.

"You've got to be kidding me." Tazuna just shook his head.

"Considering what he said, and his expression when he said it, I wouldn't be surprised if he did achieve his ultimate dream of being Hokage. I wonder how Kaiza would react to him." He said.

At that moment someone came in the front door. "Hey, honey. Another good catch today." Tsunami turned to him.

"Hello. Someone helped me out with a few thugs. He's playing with Inari right now."

"Kaiza, you'd be surprised how powerful his will is. I'm not even sure a God can shift it." Tazuna told him.

Kaiza looked at him, as his ear twitched. "You guys do realize I can hear you, right?" Naruto said as he turned his head a bit to his left. "And by the way, Tazuna, that's exactly what I was told before I even left the village."

All three of them looked at him. Inari looked back at him, and they went back to playing. A few hours later, Tsunami went up to Naruto who was still playing with Inari. "Naruto, you did say 3 hours before you had to meet up with them, didn't you?"

Naruto looked at her, and nodded. "Thanks for reminding me. You might want to open a window." He closed his eyes and spiked his Chakra, as Tsunami opened a window. 2 blurs came in about 10 seconds later. "Naruto, why are you in someone else's house?" The red head asked.

"It's alright, mom. Ms. Tsunami let me in to play with Inari here. I've been here since I helped her out from some thugs." Naruto told her.

Tsunami looked at them. "So, your Naruto's mother, huh? I expected something different, but you actually look better than I thought. My name is Tsunami." She held out a hand.

Kushina took it, and shook. "Kushina. This is Kakashi." Kakashi just nodded.

"Does he ever lose that mask?" Tsunami asked. Kushina shook her head. "Never. Sometimes I wonder if that mask is a part of his face. He's had it on ever since I met him when he was 7, and a Genin. He's 23 now. I don't think anyone but his parents and the doctors that helped deliver him, have seen underneath that thing."

"You know why I keep it on, Kushina. As did Minato-sensei. Still, I'm glad he found a friend in your son. We're on our way to Kirigakure tomorrow." Kakashi said.

Tsunami looked at him. "Why not stay here for your stay in Wave Country? You'll need a good place to stay, and I'd be happy to have Naruto stay here. Inari's been having some fun with him."

Kushina and Naruto looked at her. "Please mom?"

Kushina looked at Naruto, then back at Tsunami. "Why not? It's been a while since we stayed in an actual house. We've either been in a tent, or an Inn for 3 months. We could use a stay in an actual house. Did he tell you of his training?"

Tsunami nodded. "He also told me and my father a few things about him. I'm surprised someone could go through everything he did, and still have the will to move on."

Kushina smiled at Tsunami. "I'm not. He inherited my will, and even strengthened it. I'd be surprised if a God could sway him."

"My husband said the same thing. His eyes simply ooze willpower and determination. Something my son somewhat lacks, unfortunately." Tsunami looked down a bit.

Kushina put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't feel bad, Tsunami. It's not the end of the world just yet. When that happens, my son would have been murdered before my eyes. That would mean the end of the world as you know it. Anyone that crossed my path would die. I didn't get the nickname Red Death for no reason, after all. My son knows not to piss me off, and has seen my rage in action. It's not a pretty sight. It never is."

Naruto nodded. "She's right, she's one of the few people anyone would not want pissed off at them. I wouldn't suggest going for that, or even testing her limits on her temper, unless you have a death wish. That right there is the God-damned truth." Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"Anyone who knows who she is, would be afraid to make her mad. Even the Sannin quake in their boots at her when she is pissed." Kakashi said.

Tsunami looked at her. "Is all of this true?"

Kushina nodded. "My son has been teaching me on this trip as well. I've gotten an even better grip on my anger ever since the trip started. Going after his life, though, still pisses me off instantly." Kushina had a smile on her face.

"Well, I have no intention of harming the one who saved me. Come on, I'll show you to the guest room." Tsunami said, as Kakashi, Naruto and Kushina followed her upstairs. "It's not much, but I hope you like it. The bathroom is 2 doors down on the right, if you need to use it. My room is right next to it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Kushina nodded. "By the way, would you like to eat dinner with us? I'm about to start cooking."

"Why not? Thanks." Kushina replied.

"You're welcome. And don't worry about it." Tsunami said.

"Do you mind if I help? I wouldn't feel right if I didn't."

"I'd rather you not, because you're our guests, but if you can make some good dishes, I don't see the harm in it." Tsunami said.

Kushina and Tsunami went downstairs. Kakashi and Naruto stuck upstairs, so Naruto could work on seal making. "Alright, let's get to work."

They ate, and Naruto went upstairs to meditate. He found that Kaiza was in trouble about 30 minutes into it. He opened his eyes and got up. "Kaiza seems to be in trouble."

Kakashi looked at him. "Don't worry about him. He'll be fine."

Naruto looked at Kakashi with his mother's Death Glare. "I said don't worry about him. He can take care of himself."

-the next day-

There was a public execution. Kaiza was the one on the stake. Naruto looked at him and was visibly angered. Inari was at the front looking directly at Kaiza. Naruto noticed that Kaiza was telling Inari something. "Live your life, so you have no regrets. Protect everything you've got with both arms."

Naruto nodded at his last words. _'It seems he lived by those words to the end. I think it's time I pay Gato a visit.'_

5 minutes later, Gato was on his way back to his hideout, with about 10 guards. In only one second, their necks all had cuts forming all over them, and spouting blood. "Gato, you are a menace. Stop what you're doing for good." Naruto said as he landed in front of him. "If I find out you don't, your ass is mine."

"W-Who are you?" Gato stammered out.

"The Kitsune Warrior. And if you don't heed my warning, your Executioner." Naruto said as he went poof. Gato was visibly terrified.

Naruto, Kakashi and Kushina were saying goodbye to Tazuna's family. Naruto was ready to go, and they managed to get on the boat when Naruto received the memories of his Shadow Clone he sent to warn Gato.

"I wish we would have had time to help them out, but we're on a schedule here." Kushina said.

Naruto smirked. "Did you think I would leave without giving him a warning?"

Kakashi looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Naruto looked at Kakashi. "For the record, I'm blaming you for this Kakashi-sensei. If I went by my feelings last night, that execution could be avoided. Instead, I listened to you, and went back to meditation. Anyway, as we were getting on the boat, I sent a Shadow Clone to give him a warning. Took out all 10 guards, and told him about that little nickname Akane came up with. If he doesn't stop for good, his goose is cooked."

Kushina and Kakashi looked at him with widened eyes. "I don't appreciate the fact he went and killed someone who had their heart in the right place, and to make up for me not doing anything I gave him an Ultimatum. That was it, and if I find out he didn't, I will find him, and I will kill him. Simple as that."

They all nodded.

-a few days later-

The group arrived in The Land of Water. They found out the moment they landed about a Civil War in Kirigakure. Bloodline Factions against the Mizukage. The cause of it were the Bloodline Purges.

Naruto, Kushina and Kakashi wound up finding the Bloodline faction first. Kushina was the first to speak. "Relax, everyone. My name is Kushina Uzumaki, of the Uzumaki Clan. I'm sure you know of our bloodline, my son and I would like to help."

Naruto nodded. Kakashi stepped forward. "I'm with them, so if you take them with you, I'm coming as well."

One of them heard the rumors of an Uzumaki in Konoha, and landed right in front of them. "I didn't think Konoha would have sent reinforcements without our leader."

Kushina looked at the one that landed in front of her. "We've been outside of the village for close to 4 months. We are not sure whether or not they would send reinforcements, but if I know Hiruzen, he won't be able to spare anyone. Luckily, we're here, so we can help."

Kakashi looked at him. "Who might you be?"

"My name is Ao. I am second in command here. The only one I take orders from is our leader, Mei Terumi." the man said. Kushina tensed. "So, Mei is still alive, eh? That saves me some trouble of trying to find her."

Ao looked at her dangerously. "What do you mean by that?"

"Mei Terumi is an old friend of mine from when I was living in Whirlpool Country. I haven't seen her since then. When I heard of the Bloodline Civil War I figured she'd be siding with the Bloodline Faction rather than the Mizukage." Kushina said, her tone cold, and breath even.

Ao looked at all three of them. "Don't you think he is a little young?" He pointed at Naruto.

Naruto looked at him with his mother's Death Glare. "I may be young, but if you're up against a Jinchuuriki, you're gonna need another Jinchuuriki. What better Jinchuuriki then that of the Kyuubi no Kitsune?"

Ao looked at his face and inwardly cringed. He took notice of his words and nodded. "Does he know how to control the Kyuubi?"

"Her real name is Akane Kitsune, and they are on good terms. In fact, they work together in a fight if they need to. Whether the Cloak is there or not." Kushina said. "Aside from that, you have the Red Death and Copycat Ninja on your side. Even if you don't get reinforcements from village yourself, you have 3 powerful Ninja here, even if one of them doesn't seem like it."

Someone else was coming up to them. It was a female with Auburn hair. She looked like quite the seductress. "Mei-sama!" Ao yelled.

Kushina turned to her, and smirked. Mei looked at Kushina with surprise. "Kushina? My god, it's been so long since I last saw you."

"It sure has, Mei. This is my son, Naruto. However, we're not here for a pleasure cruise." Kushina told her.

Mei looked at him, then back at Kushina. "How far along is he?"

"He's only 5 years old, but being a Jinchuuriki himself, he has a better shot at Yagura than even I do." Kushina said. Mei looked back at Naruto. "I can't see how powerful he truly is. It's like he's hiding most of his Chakra, and I can't even sense a Bijuu in him."

Naruto chose that moment to speak up. "That's because Akane doesn't come out, or even make herself known unless I need her help. Otherwise, it's as if she isn't even there."

Mei nodded at that, as if it made sense. "Alright then, this would be a good test for you. Kushina, Kakashi, I would like to formally request your help, including Naruto's help for this."

Naruto smirked at Mei. "You didn't have to ask. What I heard the Mizukage was doing, I don't think is right, or even justified. I would've wanted to help out anyway." Kushina smirked at her son, as did Kakashi.

"Well, you'd be surprised what he can do." Kakashi said. "If Akane being the Kyuubi is anything to go by, you know he's got more power in him than Yagura of the 3 tails. Experience is the only problem we're likely to have."

Naruto shook his head. "That's fine by me. It just gives me a greater challenge, and better merits if I win."

Kushina smiled at Naruto. "That's my boy. Always looking for a challenge."

"Well then, only one thing left to do." Mei turned to Ao. "Ao, lead these 3 to the command center. I'll be there shortly." Ao nodded. "This way."

-5 minutes later-

Ao, Kushina, Naruto, Kakashi, and Mei along with 2 others were around a table. "Mei-sama, do you think it's wise for a kid to be in here?" One of the unknowns asked. Mei looked at him with a Death Glare worthy of Kushina. "Don't worry about that, Mei-san. I don't mind them making fun of my age, but if they insult Akane or my mother, they will have hell to pay." Mei turned her glare away from him.

"Alright. Ao, how are we on supplies?" Mei asked with a leader tone.

"We are running low on supplies, and I'm not sure if our new arrivals have enough." Ao replied.

Naruto looked at him. "We have enough for the 3 of us for about 2 months. That's about it. Storage sealing does wonders for you. However, if you want some for a battalion, I'd suggest going for one of the areas along the river." Naruto was looking at the map. He pointed at one town. "This one. The way I see it right now, they don't have many in our path to this town, and not much on one side, so we can defend better from that one side."

Mei looked at him. "You know, I was about to suggest Shuryuu Village myself."

Naruto looked at her. "When you've got a Kitsune that's a few hundred years old, the Red Death, and Sharingan Kakashi teaching you battle tactics and strategy, you tend to pick up a few things."

Ao looked at him. "How do you propose we take it then, Mei-sama?"

Mei looked at Naruto. "Why don't we let him finish with this. Let's see what he managed to come up with."

Naruto nodded. "You see this gorge?" Everyone nodded. "Something tells me that if we can lure the majority of their troops in there, we can use a few Doton Jutsu to make the walls of said gorge collapse on top of them. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but if we manage to pull this off, we can take the village with little problem. Kakashi, what do you think of this?"

Kakashi looked at him, then the map. "Surprisingly, I agree. This type of strategy is out of the ordinary, and borderline crazy. That makes it a good strategy to use here. They won't be expecting something like this. One question. What do we do if some of them don't follow the group?"

Naruto looked at him. "That's where 2 of us come in. After the majority of the forces go into the Gorge, we will take care of any forces remaining in the Village. Timing is everything. Our forces will be going through the opposite end, right here." he pointed on one side of the Gorge. "The moment our forces get to the other end, we collapse the walls, and it falls on top of them, while myself and Kushina head into the village to take care of any survivors, or stragglers."

Everyone looked at him. Mei spoke up about it. "It's bordering Crazy and Genius."

Ao nodded. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with the kid. The only problem I have here is who will lead the forces?"

Kakashi looked at Naruto. "I take it that's where I'm at?" Naruto nodded. "Correct. Kakashi is the one to lead this not me. He has more experience in leading, and the majority of your forces won't listen to a thing I say, meaning he is the best option. Given his reputation, they should listen to him a lot better than myself." The 4 Rebels there looked at him in a new light.

"You know, he's got a point there. In fact, he planned it out, and knew full well that we wouldn't listen to him due to his inexperience, but as he said, they're more likely to listen to Kakashi, being as he has a lot more experience on the field of battle, and is older. He's good, I'll give him that." Ao said. The rest of them nodded.

Naruto pulled out a scroll and unsealed a mask. "Naruto, where did you get that mask?"

"Akane made it, and put it in a seal from my mindscape. We found out if we seal something on my body in there, I'll get the same seal on my physical body, and can unseal it, and put it in a different seal. This mask is just one thing that she's made for me. I also used it for that little warning I gave Gato." Naruto said.

Kushina and Kakashi nodded. "The Kitsune Warrior will make himself known here." Naruto said.

-the next morning-

Naruto, Kakashi, Kushina, and 12 Jounin was in a line. Naruto had his Kitsune mask on. Kakashi stepped forward. "As I'm sure you've been briefed about our plan, I'll make this quick. For the duration of this task, you are to follow my orders, and no one else's. Any questions?"

One of them stared at him. "Yeah, I have a question. Who the hell are you? And what makes you think tha..." He was cut off with a sword at his neck. Naruto in his Kitsune mask was holding it. "You should think twice before crossing him. He has a reputation himself. Ever hear of Sharingan Kakashi? That's him."

The man shook. "R-right. Sorry. Won't happen again."

"Good." Kitsune went back to Kakashi. "Did you really have to do that?"

"If I didn't, Kushina would have. You know that as well as I do."

Kakashi nodded. "Move out!"

Everyone shunshin'ed out, and Kitsune was on all fours ahead of the others. "Kushina, I have already sent scouts into the entire area. I have the perfect entry point for us. Kakashi, this is where we branch off." Kitsune said, causing Kakashi to nod.

"How long until you are in position?"

"Give us 5 minutes. Kushina can use Telepathy, so she can let you know if we get there before that." Kitsune said.

"Right! You're on your own from here on out." Kitsune nodded. "Kushina, let's go."

Kitsune and Kushina went to the left. It only took them 3 minutes to get there. _"Kakashi, we are in position."_

"_Roger that."_

Kakashi gave the orders on who would go and draw them out, and who would use the Jutsu to collapse the wall.

The Rebels sent a few Jutsu towards the village. Kushina and Kitsune were both in position, right outside the village, hidden by a Kitsune Illusion. The main forces followed them, exactly as planned. "Looks like it's working as we planned." Kitsune said.

Kushina nodded. _"Kushina, it's time. Head in!"_

"Kitsune?"

"Got it. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" 20 Kitsune Warriors appeared, and with Kushina right behind them, they easily took out anyone left standing. One man was stupid enough to look out a door, and got his head chopped off.

By the time the rest of them got to the village, Kitsune and Kushina were sitting on a pile of Bodies. "What took you so long Kakashi?" Kitsune asked.

"Are you sure that's all of them?" he asked.

Kushina spoke up. "You know we both can sense Chakra. We'd know if someone else was here." Kakashi nodded. "Send a message to Mei, and tell them we succeeded without any losses."

"No need." Kitsune said. "I don't think anyone else noticed, but I left a Shadow Clone back at the Base. So if I do this," Kitsune made a Shadow Clone and dispelled it. "She'll be able to get the message immediately. More effective than a messenger hawk, am I right?"

Kakashi looked at him. "Clever."

"I'm the Kitsune Warrior. I have to be." Kitsune said.

"Well then, I have a feeling she'll tell you what to do next."

Kitsune tensed. "She just did. The 3 of us are wanted back at base. She'll be sending more units to properly capture this village." Kitsune tensed again. "Let's get going."

Kakashi and Kushina nodded, and the 3 of them were off.

Once the were out of the village and earshot Kitsune spoke up. "Kakashi, I know you noticed me tense a second time. That was another Shadow Clone I made. I managed to get a few things out of one of the enemies, then beheaded them. I basically have the entire movement for Yagura's Forces for the next week and a half. Most of it isn't good."

Kakashi looked at him. "Fill us in." Kitsune explained everything. "That's all I could get out of him. However, now we can do a lot better, being as he doesn't know that we have this information. Meaning we can surprise him with it."

Kushina and Kakashi nodded. "You already coming up with a plan?" Kitsune nodded. "At least I'm trying to. I'd need a map to be sure."

It took them 3 more minutes to get to the base. Kitsune, Kushina, and Kakashi were right in front of Mei. "I gotta say, that was some good work there. No casualties on our end and the entire opposing force was eliminated. I'm impressed, to say the least."

Kitsune looked at her. "How would you like to know of Yagura's movements for the next week and a half?" Mei's eyes widened.

"How did you get that kind of information?"

Kitsune smirked under his mask. "I have my ways. In any case, I have a few plans ready, I just need to make sure the terrain will work in our favor before I choose one. Kakashi, why don't you fill her in on what I found out?" Kakashi nodded, while Naruto went to look at the map.

While Kakashi explained everything, Naruto was examining the map intently. Weighing options, possible strategies, any possible advantage he could think of.

Kakashi finished at the same time Naruto did. "We should recall our forces back to this position, then."

"No need." Kitsune said. "Doing that will tip him off that we know what he's planning. For that reason, I have another plan to counter it." Everyone else went up to the map. "As you just heard, Yagura is going to attack here, here, here and here, in order to draw our forces from the main base. However, their main forces will be heading straight for us, while most of our forces are out there."

Mei nodded. "And?"

"You see this valley? The forests to the side? That will make for the perfect counter strike. There's only one problem I can think of, and that's Yagura. Since Yagura himself will be leading the main force, to eliminate us, that is the only thing I can't guarantee. It's for this reason, I will face him alone. Me and Yagura will face off during this plan, and no one is to interfere, no matter how bleak it gets for me." Kitsune said.

"Kushina, you don't seem to like this plan." Mei pointed out.

"I don't. I don't like the fact that my own son is going up against a Kage. I know he's a Jinchuuriki, and so is the Kage, but you can tell I'm still worried." Kushina said.

"Kushina, there is nothing for you to worry about." Kitsune said, before his voice changed. **"We are both coming up with a few counter strategies in order to combat Yagura, as he gets further into his Tailed Beast state."**

Kakashi and Kushina noticed the change in his voice. "Naruto?" was Kushina's statement.

"**As I said, we are working on a strategy. And by the way, I am working on a few things myself at the same time, Kushina. And it's Akane."** Kitsune said. **"However, with the mask on, we are known as Kitsune Warrior. Remember that."**

Kushina looked at Kitsune with her usual Death Glare. **"That won't work on me Kushina now let me explain the plan we came up with for the attack."**

Kitsune had explained the plan from A to Z. **"And that's how it works. The only problem we have will be Yagura himself, and the Sanbi no Genbu. However, that is something we will take care of ourselves. We shall be meditating until then, and only move around when we need to eat."**

Kushina nodded. "That is actually a lot better than I thought. It's even crazier than your last plan, and thus, more effective. You both really have a flair for unpredictability."

"**That's who we are. It's what we do. Kakashi, Kushina, the two of you will be leading the rest of them. Be prepared for an onslaught, though. We are likely to be outnumbered 4 to 1."**

Kakashi and Kushina nodded. Mei smirked. "You know, Kushina. I'm beginning to like the way your son thinks."

Kitsune's voice went back to normal. "Thank you very much, but I can't take all the credit. We both handled it, together. Now, If you'll excuse me, I have more planning to do alongside Akane."

Everyone present nodded, and Kitsune left the room.

-7 days later-

The entire plan was ready. The Battlefield: Set up. Kitsune Warrior was in position. Yagura and the entire force behind him was marching straight towards him. Kitsune signaled them to stop.

Yagura looked at him. "So, who are you? Why did you ask us to stop?"

"As to who I am: I am the Kitsune Warrior. As for stopping you," Kitsune started. "I want you to stop the Bloodline Civil war, and live in peace with them."

Yagura laughed, causing his entire force to laugh. "You really expect me to live with that Trash after 2 years of fighting?"

"Is that your final answer?" Kitsune asked.

"What? Do you want an invitation? Of course it is, you dickwad!" Yagura yelled.

"Then may the Shinigami have mercy on your soul," Kitsune said, causing his left hand to glow. "Because you will have none from me!" He slammed his hand on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu! The Beast Within!"

"Now, I really want to say a witty one liner, so I guess this will do." Kitsune said, standing on top of a Giant Fox with 9 tails, causing Yagura's eyes to widen. "Art is a BANG!" A few hundred explosions went off underneath the entire opposing force. Yagura was still in a bit of shock at what stood before him. "Kyuubi no Yoko..."

"**Why don't you release Sanbi, Yagura? Surely you know you can't defeat me on your own."** Akane said. Yagura instantly went 3-tails and formed the Sanbi no Genbu.

"**You honestly think you can win against me, Akane?"** The giant turtle roared.

"**The fact that my container is on my head, and brought me out for something like this, means we're not kidding around, Sanchou. Besides, we both can see the Genjutsu placed on you."** Akane said, causing Kitsune to nod.

Sanbi looked at them both. **"Oh really? You think someone else is controlling me? Don't make me laugh!"**

"**I'm not so pride stricken that I don't realize when I am out of control, and I can tell you are under the same one I was when I was out of control. Kid, I feel the only way to stop him is by going all out, as we planned."**

"I didn't think there would be another option, so you're right, there. Why don't we show this out of control Bijuu what a true Bijuu and Human team can make." Kitsune said.

Kitsune readied his hands and channeled a black energy into a ball. "Gravity Cannon!"

The ball of energy didn't leave his palm, but Sanbi was pushed back a bit. **"Even at 50%, that Gravity Cannon does wonders."**

"No kidding."

"**Alright, my turn."** Flames danced along Akane's tails. **"Katon: Phoenix Fox Flare!"** The flames fired from the tips binding themselves to each other forming a Giant flaming bird. A Phoenix. The Phoenix hit Sanbi head on, and Kitsune hit him with a few more Gravity Cannon shots.

Sanbi was being pushed back but there wasn't much damage being done to him. "Dammit. We're not doing much to him." Suddenly, a thought came to him. "Wait, can't we use him?"

"**Who?"**

"Gonta. You know the one that got bored at your last interrogation."

"**Oh yeah. I forgot about that."**

Kitsune went through a few handsigns. "Summoning Jutsu! Gonta of the Archfiends!" A black cloud formed in the sky. A giant form came down, and landed in front of them. **"Gonta, you want to take on the Sanbi alongside us?"**

"**As long as I get to have some fun, I don't care. If Sanbi's the only target, then leave him to me, while you provide Long range."** Gonta replied, as his entire body was covered with Lightning. **"Think you can handle that?"**

"**Did you think I trained him for no reason?"**

Gonta chuckled. **"No, I suppose not. Now, let's have some fun."**

Gonta charged headlong towards Sanbi. While Akane was shooting flames from her tails, Naruto decided to send a few Gravity Cannons towards Sanbi. Akane did hit Gonta a few times, but Naruto didn't, and that confused them to no end.

-Meanwhile-

Kushina, Mei and Kakashi were watching the fight with the powerful beings Naruto had summoned. Kushina was the first to speak on it. "No way... He summoned Akane and that other one? And still have Chakra for the Gravity Cannon?"

Kakashi took down another one. "Remember Kushina, even if Akane isn't in his body, he can still draw on her power. As for the other one, I think that is Gonta. The one from Akane's interrogation on Danzou."

Kushina decapitated another enemy. "Come to think of it, he did want some fun. Fighting the Sanbi would be fun in his book."

Mei took out another one. "Kushina, are you sure that he should be able to do this? I mean, even for a Jinchuuriki this is pushing it."

Kushina nodded. "Let's leave Yagura to them. Between the 3 of them, I'm sure that he can do it. Although, if he passes out afterwards, I wouldn't be surprised."

-Back with Naruto-

Naruto has yet to release the Gravity Cannon, and has kept firing without a loss of Chakra. "Akane, I remember you said the Gravity Cannon is an S-rank, but I don't see why."

"**It's because once you form it, no more Chakra is needed. It's more dangerous than most of it's caliber, thus it is S-rank instead of C-rank."** Akane replied. **"Think that thing can contain an Imari?"**

"Why not try?"

"**Everyone get back now! If you don't, and get caught in this next blast, you're dead!"** Akane started gathering Chakra in her mouth. Kitsune had formed a bigger Gravity Cannon with both hands. "I'm ready, Akane. Gonta! Get out of the way!"

Gonta turned to them and had his eyes widened. Without a word, he disappeared and popped up behind them. **"Kyuubiko Imari!"**

"Max Gravity Cannon!"

Naruto sent a powerful blast straight towards Sanbi no Yagura, while Akane used a full blast Imari from her mouth. The Gravity Cannon hit at the same time as the Imari causing a big explosion that didn't send a shockwave. In fact, some of the others saw what happened. The Explosion expanded, and then suddenly began to retract. It was as if something were drawing it in to one point, only for it to condense, and explode again.

There was no follow up explosion. Instead, the broken form of the Sanbi lay in heaps. A few seconds later, Sanbi imploded. The only thing left was Yagura. Naruto landed right next to him, Kitsune mask still on his face. "So Yagura. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Yagura was coughing. "I thank ** you. You ** broke the ** Genjutsu on ** us."

"No problem. Now how about getting you healed up..."

"No. ** I can't ** face my ** people like ** this. I will ** retire. Mei Terumi ** someone ** like her. ** She could ** pull it off. **"

"Are you sure about this?" Kitsune said.

Yagura got out a weak nod. "One favor. ** End it ** quickly. I can't ** bare the ** thought of ** living now. **"

Kitsune nodded, and made a sword appear in his hand. "One question. Who put the Genjutsu on you?"

Yagura looked at him. "His name ** is Madara ** Uchiha." Kitsune's eyes widened behind his mask. "Madara... Yagura, I will end your suffering. I will kill Madara for this. I swear, on all that is good and just. He will pay."

Yagura nodded weakly. "Do it." Kitsune plunged his sword into Yagura's heart. "I swear to get him. Even if it means my death in the end. For you, Sanbi, and Akane."

Kushina, Kakashi, Mei, and Ao went to right beside him. "Damn! If you can do all of that, I wouldn't be surprised if you could take on other Jinchuuriki." Ao stated.

"Mei Terumi. Yagura's final words. He wants you as the next Mizukage. He is sorry for what he did while under the influence of the Genjutsu." Everyone's eyes widened.

Kakashi just stared at him. "What do you mean?"

Kitsune looked at Yagura's body. "Yagura and Sanbi were under the same Genjutsu Akane was when she attacked Konoha. From that, I figured Madara was behind it. Turns out I was right. That makes 3 beings I am going to kill Madara for. There's bound to be more, as well."

Kushina and Kakashi clutched their fists. "Madara is going to pay for this."

Mei looked at Kushina and saw her anger rising. "Kushina, calm down! You aren't any use to anyone when you're pissed."

Kitsune looked at her. "She's right, mom. Besides, we don't even know where Madara is. However, now I think I know what he's after. The Bijuu."

Kakashi stared at him. If not for his mask, he would have gaped at him. "Kitsune... Are you sure about that?"

In nodded in response. "If he's after both Akane and the Sanbi, I have a feeling he'll be going after the other Jinchuuriki, as well." His mind floated to his friends that he made while on his journey. Yugito, Gaara, Kirabi, in particular.

_'I will protect them. Even if it kills me.'_

"Akane, Gonta. We're done here."

Akane nodded and went out in smoke. Gonta went up to him, with a bracer in his hand. **"Take this with you. I managed to kill off a shitload of boredom and stress with that fight. It goes on the off arm, and is best used in close combat. Put it on, and charge Chakra into it."**

Kitsune put in on his left wrist. Once he Charged Chakra into it, a Spider web like shield came out. "Chakra Shield. Nice."

"**It also doubles as a bow and Arrow, using Chakra alone. There's not much to worry about. I have a feeling that if you help out a few of the other demons, fiends, and the like, they'll give you something as well. You're a good man in my book."**

Kitsune nodded at him, and released the Shield. "Thank you, Gonta."

"**Don't sweat it, kid. I hope we see each other again someday. I'm out."** Gonta disappeared in a flash of Darkness.

"Well, that's that. Mei, Yagura's final request for you. Will you accept it?" Kitsune asked.

"I do. No one else will know of the Genjutsu, other than those here." Mei replied getting a nod from Kitsune.

"I have one more request. Mind taking care of me while I'm out?" Kitsune asked, raising an eyebrow on 3 people. He then collapsed, his sword already gone. Kushina caught him, knowing that's what he meant. "Always pushing himself to the limit. Mei, what do you think? Do you mind if we rest up here? We have a ways to go, and will need some supplies later."

Mei looked at him. "I don't see why not? In any case, I think we will want the people that helped bring Kirigakure together in the village. I also have a feeling that he will be in somewhat good condition after a while."

They all nodded, and went back to the forces, that has since found him a savior of Kiri, no matter which side you fought on. Naruto was on Kushina's back, since he had passed out.

-3 days later-

Naruto was waking up in what seemed to be a hospital. He groaned. "Not again."

He looked around and found that no one was there. However there appeared to be 2 people outside the door, though he couldn't see them. He knew everything that happened, and seemed to be in good shape. _'Akane?'_

"_**Not yet, Naru-kun. You still have a bit to go. You know I'm only trying to look out for you."**_

_'Yeah, I know. Still, I'm surprised that my mother isn't here. Right now.'_

"_**Well, you have been out of it for 3 days. Last time it was 5. She probably didn't think you would wake up yet."**_ Just then, the door opened to reveal Kakashi. **_"Kakashi, on the other hand, is another story."_**

"Hey..." Naruto said, his mask sealed up already.

"So you're awake already? 2 days earlier than last time." Kakashi replied with a smile.

"So I heard. How's everything in the village?"

"Things are getting better. Although, Mei did want to see you when you woke up. Do you think you're ready for that?"

Naruto managed to shake his head. "Not a good idea. I'm not back to normal yet. I'm gonna try getting some more rest. Maybe that will help."

Kakashi nodded. "You think I should tell them?"

"In about an hour or so." Naruto smiled, before drifting off.

Kakashi sighed. "This is gonna be a long time. Well, at least he wants me to give him an hour beforehand."

Kakashi sat down, trying to think of an excuse for this.

-the next day-

Naruto woke up, only to find Mei, Kakashi and his mother there. The latter spoke up first. "Why didn't you want us to know you woke up?"

Naruto sat up on the bed. "You know that I wouldn't have told him that if my body could handle it. Unfortunately, it couldn't. I wouldn't have been able to move, and since Kakashi-sensei was in here, I told him to wait before he said anything. I know it seems a little selfish, but its necessary to get some rest every now and then. Especially, in the state I was in."

Kushina and Kakashi nodded. Mei just looked at him. "You know Kushina, he's a lot cuter than I thought."

"Don't even think about it, Mei. You're too old for him."

"Old?"

"You're over 20 years old. He's only 5. Do you honestly believe I would say that, knowing you hate being called old, if you weren't planning on seducing my son?" Kushina raised an eyebrow.

Mei sighed. "Sorry. I guess I can't really say much there. Anyway, I'm here on business. Naruto, the 7 Ninja Swordsman of the mist wish to train you with a sword, since you already have one. Or at least meet you, if you don't want any training from them. It's their way of thanking you for getting rid of the biggest threat to Kirigakure."

Naruto shook his head. "My body may be able to move, but I'm in no condition to train right now. As much as I'd like to train under them with a sword, right now is not a good time to do so. I'll settle for meeting them for now. I have to move about, otherwise things will go awkward with my body."

"_**Good choice. Your body is in pretty good condition right now, but you're right about the training. It's not quite ready for that. I'd give you a few hours of moving about, and then you'll be good."**_

_'Thanks for the heads up.'_

Akane giggled at that, and cut herself out. "Well then, let's go. Can't sit around all day, can I?" Naruto asked sarcastically.

It took them a few minutes, with Naruto still being a little groggy, but hey met up with the ones that wanted to meet him. "I only see 6."

"One of them died in the war, but other than him, everyone is here." Mei replied.

"Zabuza Momochi." A guy with a giant Kubikiri (Head Cleaver, I think) on his back said.

"Kisame Hoshigaki." A guy that looked like a shark said.

"Aldous Hozuki." A younger looking man said. His sword seemed to have 2 handles. It was either that, or he had 2 swords.

"Suigetsu Hoshigaki." (A/N: I don't know his real surname, so I'm giving him Hoshigaki. It's the same Suigetsu that travels with Sasuke in Shippuuden and is the youngest there, at 8.)

The rest introduced themselves as well, but they didn't really like the fact they were out done by a 5 year old. (A/N: I'm not trying to be lazy, but you could say I didn't think of any more names that could fit. I don't know Kirigakure that well, so yeah.)

Zabuza patted him on the back. "You know kid, I'm one of the ones that wanted to train you with a sword, but since you have an Uzumaki with you, I don't think you'll have any trouble with that. They are sword masters, after all."

Kushina smirked at the compliment. "Thank you, Zabuza. However, that boy is my son." Zabuza looked at her, then back at him. Kisame looked at her. "Who's his father?"

"If I told you that, you'd think he'd be even more overkill than he already is." Kushina replied.

"You know..."

"Don't even think about it, Kisame." Naruto said. "There is no reason for you to do any of that, regardless of the fact you want to know who my father is. Besides, I"m sure you already know him. If not in person, then by reputation."

Kisame looked at him. "What do you mean by that kid?"

"The only hint I'll give you is Yellow. Other than that, you're on your own." Naruto said before turning to the others. Kisame was left pondering what he said. It wasn't until 5 minutes later that he realized it.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!"

Everyone in the area stared at him... aside from Naruto. He just smirked. "Well, he figured it out."

Kushina looked at him, then at Kisame. "It's best if you don't mention that, Kisame. If you do, things will not be in your favor with the Uzumaki."

Kisame just stared at her. "You think I'd be stupid enough to tell anyone that? Hey, I got an idea for him. Red and Yellow make Orange right? If he can learn his father's Signature Jutsu, they should call him Orange Flash."

"Sorry, but I'm good with what I've got. Besides, I don't have the mechanics for it just yet. We've got another stop on our list before we can do that." Naruto said without turning around.

Kisame stared at him. "You do realize its impolite to stare right?"

He said from behind Kisame, half scaring him. "Whoa. Shadow Clone. Nice."

"Thank you." The clone dispelled, as did the other one. Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

"Not again." Kushina said, groaning.

Kakashi looked at her. "We should be used to it by now. Come on, let's go find him."

Kushina grabbed his shoulder. "No need for that. He was bored, and you know it. He's too much like Minato for stuff like this." Kakashi sighed. "Mei, I'm sorry about that. I can't say it won't happen again, because odds are, it will. Like his father, he doesn't care for honorifics. Can't say I like it, but it's a good thing, I guess."

Zabuza looked at her. "How so?"

Kakashi looked at him. "You could say that it means he doesn't care if what he did deserves a medal. He won't want a medal. Sure as hell know Minato-sensei didn't. He actually refused any medals he was offered, saying he didn't need them. It was surprising, to say the least, and with him being his son, I'd say that trait was passed on to him."

Naruto's voice came from a nearby tree. "It was nice meeting you guys, but I got other things on my mind I have to clear up. I'm not really bored here, but as I said, I have things to think about. By the way mom, I do have some idea of how to use it." Naruto encased himself in a whirlwind, and disappeared.

"Kushina?" Said woman nodded. "We'll see you later Mei. We have to go find out what he meant."

They stayed for a few days, and found it to be a lot better than before. When they left, Mei had to send an Honor Guard beforehand, when they realized that Naruto was already gone. Kushina let her know that he left hours beforehand, and said he would wait for them both at the docks where they intend to head to their last stop on the trip, which will hold the final piece for the trip.

It took almost 5 months for him to finish up everything, and get everything he needed out of it. With 3 months left in the journey, they set out to search for Tsunade. Naruto was basically practicing any Jutsu he could in his mindscape, and his Taijutsu and Kenjutsu when he was awake, and they weren't on the move.

One time he was training he felt something powerful nearby. He stopped immediately, and went to the source, to find a Blonde woman, looks like she's in her late 20's, and had a brunette next to her with a pig. He already knew of Tsunade, and figured the blonde was her. He spiked his Chakra, causing Kushina and Kakashi to come directly to him.

"What is it, Naruto?" Kakashi asked. His response was a point directly to the blonde.

"If I had to guess, that's Tsunade Senju. Her Chakra levels are far beyond that of you Kakashi-sensei." They both looked at her, and Kushina's eyes widened. "How did you find her? I couldn't even sense her."

"Thanks to Akane, I can sense when someone's hiding their Chakra. She's doing so right now, as well as using a Genjutsu of some sort. The two aren't related though, so I don't know what the Genjutsu is for."

Kakashi and Kushina nodded. "I think it's time I have a little chat with her." Naruto grabbed Kushina's arm.

"No need to go after her. You and her were once good friends, were you not?" Naruto asked.

Kushina looked at him. "Yeah, why?"

"She noticed when I spiked my chakra. What would happen if you spiked yours?" Naruto asked, causing eyes to widen. "Also, since my Chakra is similar to yours, she might think that both of us are related, and looking for her."

"I don't get why you have to make such good points. Still, you're right." Kushina spiked her chakra, and Tsunade stopped in her tracks, her face going pale. "Looks like she noticed."

Both of them jumped up at went straight towards the source. "It's been a long time, Kushina."

"Tsunade." Kushina's voice sent chills through both Naruto and Kakashi, causing them to back away from her.

"Kushina, why are you mad?" Tsunade was backing up herself.

Naruto noticed where everything was going. "Gravity Cannon!" Kushina felt a force hit her, and found she couldn't move. "Mom, you don't want to kill her. Remember? The Old man wanted her back alive."

Kushina turned her head to Naruto. "Why can't I move?"

Naruto just stared at her. "First off, I'll only release you if you swear not to hurt her for abandoning me, because she was told I was dead."

Tsunade cringed at that. Then she caught what he was saying. "Wait... You're... alive?"

Naruto nodded without looking at her. "As I was saying, the Gravity Cannon does more than just knock things back and eliminate shockwaves from explosions. I can also use it to contain someone that is losing control of their anger, by putting them in a Gravity field with it. That's why you can't move."

Kushina glared at him. "Why?"

"Because you know that, despite her not being there, if she was told that I was dead, there wouldn't be anything she could do. Besides, you coming back to me was enough. I found out who my mother is, and I was happy she was there. You still need work on your temper, and just because she thought I was dead, doesn't give you the right to kill her for it." Naruto told her, before switching his gaze to Tsunade.

"As for you. I understand that finding out everyone that you have ever been close to died is a lot to take in. There is a limit for sadness, and yours is about up. It's time you suck it up, and get over it. Time will not wait for you, and neither will life. What's your choice?"

Tsunade stared at him, shock written on her face. "I-I don't know, okay? I just find out that my best friend and her son are alive, after 5, almost 6 years, so I'm kind of in shock right now. I'll come along, if only to satiate Kushina, but I'm not sure if I can stand that damn council." Tsunade's voice went from scared to ice cold. "That Danzou is going to get a head full of my fist if I go back."

Naruto smirked at her answer. "Then you might want to hold that fist back. Danzou's body was obliterated by me, Kakashi-sensei, my mother and 2 of her friends, Mikoto Uchiha, and Hikari Hyuuga. We got him with a lot of crimes, and executed him on the spot." Tsunade looked at him, and found he was serious.

"Well then, I'll have no problem with coming back with you. I'd be willing to help out with your training, if only to make up for lost time, and probably give Kushina a reason to reign in her anger." Tsunade said, causing Kushina to stare at her, calming down.

Naruto felt it, and turned back to her. "You know mom, things are going to be a lot better, and it may be a good idea I learn as much as I can from this trip. What do you say? She could make it up to you like this, and return with us. You get something out of her, I get better, and she gets over her hatred for the village one day. Everyone wins."

Kushina finally calmed down completely. "I see where you're going with this, and I'm glad you did say all of that. Still, did you have to trap me in this thing?"

"Yes. You were losing control of your anger, and were highly likely to kill her because of it. For that reason, I hit you with that, and that reason alone." Naruto released the Gravity stopping her from moving.

"Well then... I've still got some work to do on that. Why don't we get going? Maybe I could find a few things to calm the rest of my nerves." Kushina said. Naruto smiled. "I couldn't agree more. By the way, do you know anything about poisons, Tsunade?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I'll need a few pointers on antidotes. Think you can help me with that?" Naruto asked, earning a nod.

"It won't be easy. One must be exact for that. I'll help you out with it, but given your possible chakra levels, your Control must suck."

"That's exactly what I was told almost a year ago. I've gotten a lot better since then. If this is anything to go by." Naruto held out his hand, palm face up. A spiraling ball appeared in the palm. "You like how I've progressed?"

Tsunade stood there, gaping at the Rasengan in his hand. "How did you manage to get that this quickly? And at your age?"

"You could say I have a couple of slave drivers for Senseis. If not for Shadow Clones, I wouldn't have gotten this far in any of my skills. I also have Akane to thank for that." Naruto replied as he absorbed the Rasengan back into his hand. "We still have about a month to head back to the village. I've learned basically all I can from them, at this point."

They all nodded and went back to a nearby town to stay at an Inn for a while.

He had a month left to train, while practicing seals, and making more Hiraishin seals on his Shuriken. There was only 2 weeks left, and they were still in Fire Country, but something happened to Naruto, causing him to pass out, his eyes bleeding. Kushina was the only one who knew what was happening, as she was the only one who knew of it. Not even Tsunade knew what was going on.

"I didn't think it would come this early." was her only statement causing a barrage of questions from Kakashi and Tsunade, none of which got answered.

00000x00000

Chapter 4 Complete.

Okay, the Gravity Cannon has made a few appearances already, but I never explained the entire thing.

First off, it is made completely of Gravity condensed by Chakra. The Gravity takes on a Blackish color as it forms the orb. It doesn't take much Chakra to make the orb, but the more Chakra put into it, the more powerful the Cannon. There is a reason he can do this with such ease, and you'll find out sooner or later, because it isn't related to it in the first place.

The Gravity Cannon is only the orb. The pulse it fires is a surge of Gravity, and you don't fire the entire thing at once if you don't have to. Anyone who has seen the anime called Guyver, just picture the Pressure Cannon. It looks the same but functions somewhat differently.

Once all the Chakra put into making the Cannon is used up, the orb will disappear, causing the user to make another one. Also, since it forms in the palm, it made it somewhat easy for him to learn the Rasengan, since the basics are virtually the same. That doesn't mean he can't form it anywhere else on his body.

In fact, he can. He just doesn't know he can. Not yet, anyway. As you saw in this chapter, the Gravity Cannon can be used to create barriers around people to keep them from moving, thus creating a Gravity field. It's not likely to crush them unless he sends enough Gravity from another blast. The Gravity field itself is safe, but it makes one a sitting duck.

One last question. You probably already figured out why I left it at a cliffhanger. Naruto had awakened a bloodline, and it has to deal with his eyes. The question I have is:

What do you think it is?

I won't say until next time.

**Kushina:** That's because you don't know what to give him.

**AG001:** Bullshit. I know full well what I'm giving him. Okay, I have a few ideas to chose from, but 2 of them are more likely than the rest.

**Tsunade:** Explain.

**Kakashi:** I think I can. It's from his father's side, isn't it?

**AG001:** Maybe. Maybe not.

**Shinigami:** I just got word from him. Minato told me what he had, and honestly: I'm not surprised he had it, or his son might have awakened it.

**Kushina:** What the hell are you doing here?

**Shinigami:** Passing a message.

**AG004:** It's for me, isn't it? **Shinigami nods. **Let me have it.

**Shinigami hands AG004 a note, which he reads.**

**AG004:** I gotta go. Something just came up. Sorry guys, and I hope Naruto gets better. **AG004 warps out.**

**AG000:** What's with him?

**AG001:** I have a feeling that it has something to do with him, and him alone. He wouldn't have had that expression on his face if it wasn't.

**AG006:** You know, he has a point.

**AG000:** I thought you'd be with Vanessa right now. What's up?

**AG006:** You don't want to know. Anyway, I just got word about one of his old friends. Not of the SFF. They've been sighted somewhere in our Galaxy. He's probably trying to find him.

**AG001:** Her. Find her.

**Everyone looks at AG001**.

**AG001:** Don't look at me like that. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some planning to do regarding his training. I'm out. **Warps out.**

AG000: Well, that's that, I guess. See ya next time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto/Shippuuden.

**Chapter 5**

Naruto was in a bed for a few days, while Kushina and Kakashi couldn't even get into his mindscape. Akane was blocking them out.

Tsunade was getting worried. "Kushina, I know that you know what's going on. So what is it?"

"A bloodline. His father's. I didn't think it would activate, and especially not this early." Kushina said, confusing Tsunade and Kakashi.

"An ocular Bloodline? Minato-sensei didn't have one, or if he did, he never used it."

"That's because he never activated it. He knew of it, but he couldn't use it. I know of a few details regarding it, but not that many. I can't even teach him how to use it. We also only have 2 weeks before we have to get back to the village." Kushina said, somewhat disappointed.

-Naruto's mindscape-

Naruto was unconscious, and Akane was next to him. **"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. Your mother doesn't realize this, but what you're gaining isn't your father's Bloodline. It won't alter your DNA, but it will hurt like a bitch when you first use it."**

Naruto's body twitched. **"Naruto?"**

His eyes shot open, but they weren't the usual Cerulean eyes. These eyes were a deep Violet, with 3 slits in his eyes. One slit was Black, another Red, and the third was White. It was in both eyes. **"Are you okay, Naruto?"**

Naruto looked at Akane. She was a little scared of him at that point. "Why are you so scared, Akane? I've got a headache right now, but other than that, I feel fine."

"**Your eyes changed, and it's not something I think is a good idea to use that much."** Akane told him.

Naruto made a mirror, and looked at his own eyes. He saw they were different than usual. "What the hell happened?"

"**I don't know why, but you activated a separate Bloodline. The thing is, you don't have the DNA for it naturally. I don't see why you activated it, and even though I didn't change your DNA to accommodate it, it seems fine, and completely adjusted to your blood. Your mother's Clan had a Ocular Bloodline that hasn't been seen in over a century. Your father's Clan also had one, thus making you unable to gain either of them. Now, an old eye has surfaced, and it's in you."** Akane said.

Naruto looked at Akane. "What's it called?"

"**The Hunter Eye. Something not even a Kitsune has used before. It's been ages since anyone had that, but for anything to make sense, you'd probably need to talk to someone that has run into it at some point in their life. My father is the only one that I know of. As to how he did, I don't know."**

"The Hunter Eye... Nice. Do you think it would be easy for me to ask him?"

"**Not until you're older, so until then, I'd suggest you not reveal the fact you have it at all. I only know that it will help you more than anyone can predict. Sharingan is virtually useless, and it can make the Byakugan useless as well. As to how, even I don't know. I can only go by the stories my father told me ages ago."**

Naruto nodded at this. "Well then, I've got a lot to figure out. You know that I learn better through application than explanation."

"**By the way, I've been blocking out both your mother and Kakashi during this time. I didn't want them in here to disturb you for the time being. You understand why, right?"** Naruto nodded at her.

"Well, I think its time I head back out. You think I should show my mother?"

"**Not yet. Just tell her that it's not the bloodline of the Namikaze Clan that activated. Since not even I have all the information, it's a good idea to keep it a secret from anyone that doesn't know of it. Got it?"**

"I got it. Don't worry, we'll wait before anything else happens, or anyone else finds out. Later." Naruto left his mindscape.

-outside-

"Is that really everything, Kushina? I don't think it's a good idea." Tsunade said. Naruto opened his eyes. They were his usual eyes.

"Whats up?"Naruto asked, causing 6 eyes to turn to him.

"What's up? What do you mean "What's up?"? Your mother was worried sick about you!" Tsunade yelled.

Naruto shook his head. "There was no reason for that. Akane gave the full situation, but not even she has all the information on it. It's not from my father, or my mother." That sent all 3 of them up the wall.

"She told me that the Uzumaki Clan once had a special eye, that was lost some hundred years ago. The Namikaze Clan did as well, but that was lost before my father came around. What I awakened is different, according to Akane. It is known as the Hunter Eye, and not even she knows everything about it. So that's why I think it's a good idea to keep it a secret."

Kakashi's face went cold. "You awakened the Hunter Eye. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?" Kushina glared at him, as did Tsunade.

"What are you talking about, Kakashi?" Kushina said with a cold tone. Kakashi didn't even flinch from it like he usually does.

"The Hunter Eye was once one of the most feared Doujutsu. It was said to have been lost after the Sage of the 6 paths had died. It was even more dangerous than what was once known as the Rinnegan which died with that same sage. Information on it is highly classified, but if the Hokage knew you had it, that would mean a lot of things are not going to be good in your case. It was last seen ages ago, and no one has encountered it since." Kakashi said, his tone still cold.

Naruto just stared at him, gaping. _'Akane, are you getting this?'_

"_**Yes, I am. I guess I can't say I'm surprised at that, but it is a little unexpected."**_

Naruto managed to close his mouth. "Kakashi-sensei, is it possible for you to figure out the mechanics behind it? Maybe with your Sharingan?" Kakashi shook his head.

"From what I know, it is immune to the Sharingan on all levels, and may even make the Byakugan useless as well." Kakashi said, earning a nod from Naruto.

"Akane did say that it would make them both useless, but I guess I just wanted confirmation on that." Naruto said.

Kakashi was still glaring at Naruto. "The only one who has access to the kind of knowledge you'll need for that is the Hokage. Not even I can get that knowledge, and I'm not sure that you can, even if you show him. Besides, your DNA would have changed, making any blood seals you've made to date useless."

Naruto smirked. "My DNA didn't change the entire time. Akane kept a close eye on it, and made sure of it. It's still the same as before. She did say that her father would know more about it, since he has come into contact with it, but I can't meet him for a few more years. No one outside this room can know I have it, though." His smirk faded as he went on.

Kakashi nodded at that. "The only other one who can even possibly know about it is the Hokage. Other than that, no one is to speak a word of it."

Everyone nodded at that. "In any case, I'll have to practice using it, and figuring out everything on my own in my mindscape while I'm there. It's a lot safer to do so there than out here, where people can notice, and I can even repair it instantly. So that's what I'll be doing from now on in the mindscape, aside from meditation."

Another round of nods. "So I guess I'll start making a few seals. We could use a few more exploding tags. At the rate I can make them and the quality, they'd get us a fair amount of income. After all, I have been doing that since I got it down, and selling them every now and then, while keeping a few of them sealed up. This is how I've made quite that large sum right now. We could show them to some of the seal masters in the village, if there are any, when we get back."

Kushina looked at him in awe. "How much have you been able to get for each one?"

Naruto looked in thought. "Considering the fact I've been selling them in batches of 300, I've been getting about... 10,000 Ryou each time. You can make a lot off of seal making. Although, I got that much from Sunagakure, I didn't get anywhere near as much in a normal village, or town. More like 5,000 Ryou there. I guess it depends on where you're at, and who you're trying to sell them to. Although, on average, I'd say I made about 6,800 Ryou each time."

Kushina nodded. "That would be about right. However, that's because it's the Uzumaki Exploding Tags, not the regular ones. The Ninja Villages know of it, and only an Uzumaki has been able to make them with relative ease. Now that there are few Uzumaki's left, namely you and me, those kinds of tags will be hard, if not impossible, to come by. You understand what I'm saying there?"

Everyone nodded. "Well, I'll get to making them. Also, I'm currently trying to figure out a way to modify the Hiraishin so I can use it without seals. It's a tough task, but I think I can do it. Only one way to find out. Don't worry, I've made the Hiraishin off limits for myself, unless it is absolutely necessary, or I am made Jounin. However, if Madara shows up before that, that's when I'll unveil it. I'm gonna need everything I've got against him." Naruto told them.

They all nodded. They all knew the situation. Naruto was after Madara for 3 people, and various other reasons. They knew he was bad news, and basically Immortal.

-time skip to the gate-

5 people were coming up to the North Gate of Konohagakure. There were 2 Chuunin at the gate, bored out of their wits.

"Hey, Kote. You got anything else to think about?" Izumo asked.

"No. I'm all out of ideas." Kotetsu replied. "That's a first for me."

The group of 5 were right in front of the Check in box. "Hello again, Izumo. Kotetsu." Kushina said. Catching them by surprise.

"Kushina..." Izumo said, obviously scared.

"Relax, guys. She's not going to hurt you." Naruto told them. "Although, I think Tsunade might."

They both looked at the Blonde in the group. "Lady Tsunade?" Kotetsu yelled.

Said woman smirked. "Live and in the Flesh. Now, what has been going on in this village?"

"Well, nothing big has happened, aside from that Mei coming through here a few months back. I heard she was made Mizukage." Izumo said.

"We know that." Kakashi said, drawing their attention to him. "We were there when it happened."

That sent them up the wall. Naruto caught their attention. "As much as we'd love to stay and chat, I have a feeling we have to head to the Hokage for a report of some kind, right?" Kakashi nodded to him.

"Then why are we waiting here? Let's go." Naruto said, as he ran towards the Hokage's tower.

Kushina and Kakashi sighed. "Let's go, Kakashi. We can't have a 5 year old beat us there, can we?"

"Even when he's not using his full speed?" Kakashi countered.

"Touche." Kushina replied.

They all shunshin'ed out. They all made it to the Hokage's office.

Naruto went in through the door, while the others made it in through the window.

Sarutobi looked at them all. "Ah, you're back. I take it you learned a lot?"

"More than a lot. However, most of what I learned I won't be using until certain points in my Ninja Career, unless certain situations arise that force me to." Naruto replied.

Kushina sent him a glare that said basically said, "I have some extremely private news." Sarutobi caught it, and found out that someone big happened. "I take it something big happened?" Kushina nodded. "How big? Or do I even want to know?"

"Bigger than the Uchiha Clan's, and Hyuuga Clan's Egos combined." Kushina said. Needless to say, his pipe fell out of his mouth. He activated a privacy seal under his desk.

"Whatever is said, shall remain in this room, until further notice. I just made sure of that." Sarutobi said, seriously.

Kakashi stepped forward. "Naruto has awakened an old Bloodline, that no one has seen since before the Sage of the 6 Paths. The Hunter Eye is in both of his eyes. Not even Akane has all the information on it, however, I do know that only the Hokage has any idea on it."

To say Sarutobi was shocked would be like comparing a Lightning bolt to a battery. Big understatement.

"If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny, Kakashi."

"It's not." Naruto said. "I only know what it is from Akane, who's only heard about it from her father. She doesn't even know much about it, much less how I have it." Naruto closed his eyes.

When he opened them, they turned Deep Violet, with 3 Slits in Red, Black, and White intersecting at the middle. "This is what it looks like. If you know anything about it, such as how it looks, this should be enough proof."

Sarutobi looked at them and paled. "I-It can't be... He really does... Kakashi!"

"I don't know how he got it, sir. As far as any of us know, Akane is trying to figure that out."

Naruto nodded. "I haven't heard from her since then, either. She's even been ignoring me from that point. She's dead set on finding out just how I managed to activate it, and that's all I can really say."

"_**Naruto, get in here. We have things to discuss."**_

"I stand corrected." Naruto said, thinking. _'Is it why you've been ignoring me since I activated it?'_

"_**Yes, and I'll explain it when you get here."**_

_'Alright, hang on.'_

"Sorry, but I have to go in there and talk to her. I think I'll figure out a few things." Naruto said as he sat down in the corner, and started meditating.

-Naruto's mindscape-

"Alright Akane, what did you find out?" Naruto said.

"**Come with me. I'll show you the results."** Akane led him into the cottage.** "I've been working on every possibility I can think of, and finally I found one that actually got me the answer."**

"What do you mean?" Naruto said as they stopped at a table.

"**You see this?"** A nod. **"This is your DNA. The DNA of your father's Blood is this one right here. Note how it's a little different. This one over here is your mother's blood DNA. As you can see it's different from that one as well. I did a little experiment with the two and found something I see as interesting. Another word for what I found: Jackpot."**

Naruto looked at her. "Okay, how did you figure it out?"

"**The DNA of the last one to ever have the Hunter Eye, is this one. When you combine the right DNA pieces in order, you get the same thing. When you put yours right next to his: you have an almost exact match, off on 1 piece, but it's close enough to merit you to be able to use it. Combining your parents' blood into you allowed you to use it. I didn't think it was possible, but your parent's blood combined made this possible, and now it's a bloodline. Your Bloodline."**

Naruto stood stock still. "You mean..."

"**Yes, your own DNA combining your Mother's and Father's allowed you to awaken an Age old Legend. The Hunter Eye returns with you, and any Children you have. I also did a little more research into it, and tried adding the Sharingan, and Byakugan into the mix. Sharingan was eliminated and the Hunter Eye remained. Byakugan was also eliminated while the Hunter Eye remained. I'm surprised to say this, but your Hunter eye will get rid of any other Ocular Bloodline that comes into contact with it, and remain active itself."**

Naruto looked at Akane with shock. "What else did you find out?"

"**Not much else, but yours doesn't seem complete for some reason. As to what it's missing, not even I know. It's like you're still developing it. You see where I'm going with this?"** Naruto nodded.

"So, if I have kids with someone from the Uchiha or the Hyuuga clans, their usual Doujutsu will be eliminated and replaced with the Hunter Eye, thus making it a dominant trait for any of my children." Naruto found someone else enter his mindscape. "Wait, were you trying to block everyone else out?"

Akane shook her head. "Okay, well that settles things. Someone just came in."

A female voice that seemed familiar come from outside. "Anko? Nee-chan, I'm inside!"

Anko came into the room. "I heard about you talking to Akane about something important. Mind telling me what... What is that?"

"**DNA. More specifically, his parents', his, and that of someone else who seems to match Naruto's almost perfectly."** Akane told her.

Anko examined them. "So, those two are his parents?" Anko pointed at the correct two. **"Correct."**

"That one is Naruto's." Akane nodded. "So that one has something to do with why he didn't hear anything from you the past few weeks."

"**Once again, correct. I've finally figured out why his eyes have awakened one of the most dangerous Bloodlines ever. However, this one had stopped maybe 500 years ago. I'm not even that old. The Sage of the 6 Paths came after their extermination. Naruto is the first to awaken it since then."**

Anko looked at it, and found only one piece different between the two. "So, this is how he managed to get this Doujutsu?" Akane nodded. "What's it called?"

"They didn't tell you?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. Anko shook her head. "Then I guess I will. It's called the Hunter Eye. I've figured out a few things about it already, but Akane has found out more than I did."

Anko nodded. "Alright, what did you find out?"

"A few abilities it gives me. When active I can zoom in and out on a straight path, up to a point of 15 miles. At the same time, I can use a close range Jutsu while doing so, but it will be weakened. It also allows me to see Chakra, in it's elements. It speeds up my vision and apparently gets rid of Tunnel Vision. Thanks to that, and a little test I went through, I can use the Hiraishin multiple times while tossing the seals out in 4 different Directions, without any of them stopping. It's almost like it slows down time."

Anko nodded. "Anything else?"

"Well, I did figure out that when I use a Shadow Clone, we both see with the same mind. It's as if I can have one Shadow Clone have it active watching, while I myself am surrounded by 10 people, and can see an attack from a normal blind-spot when I can't sense it coming. It's like a combination Rinnegan, Sharingan, and Byakugan."

"**That's mostly true. It doesn't have the near 360* sight that the Byakugan has. It did however, triple the size of your own Chakra reserves when it activated. Your chakra, without adding in my Youki is just shy of Kage level, now. And with your control still being only slightly affected, you can still go through the same exercises Anko told you about back in the Forest of Death, before we even left."**

"Speaking of which, I'm now a Special Jounin. I am basically the protector of the Forest of Death now." Anko said, causing Naruto to grin.

"That's good. Now if Akane can continue."

"**Thank you. As I was saying, the Hunter Eye will become a dominant Doujutsu, meaning that if another Doujutsu comes into contact with it on the Cellular level: the Hunter Eye will remain after eliminating the other Doujutsu. I have tried it with the Rinnegan, another legendary eye, the Sharingan, and the Byakugan. All of them were eliminated and the Hunter Eye remained."** Anko's eyes widened.

"**It is already powerful as it is. However, right now, it's incomplete, as far as I can tell. My guess is, it will gain more powerful pieces as it goes along. I am surprised that it even appeared after this long. However, the fact it was made naturally, I can honestly say, it shouldn't do anything that different, and is a lot less dangerous to the user than before."**

Naruto's eyes widened. "What was the risk beforehand?"

"**Possible blindness, bloody eyes, and above all else, death. All 3 of those were eliminated as far as I can tell. However, in case something happens, I'll be keeping a watch on everything. Even though your body seems to accept the Doujutsu, we can't be positive that something like this doesn't have a downside somewhere. Using it here to practice with it eliminates any possible risk, but that same risk could make itself known out there. Remember that."**

Naruto and Anko nodded. **"Well get going, and let them know what I found out, and what I plan to do."**

Naruto and Anko nodded and left the mindscape.

-outside-

Kushina, Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, and Sarutobi were waiting for the verdict. The moment they opened their eyes, Sarutobi spoke. "Alright, Naruto, what did she find out?"

Naruto went on to explain everything so far, and possibilities she came up with. "How she managed to come by some of that stuff, I don't know, but it does make sense to me. It was created Naturally, so it's a lot less dangerous than it was beforehand. That one piece that was off from the original may be the cause of that."

Sarutobi nodded at him. "You've got most of the recorded abilities figured out already. There are only a few more that you would need to be aware of. However, since I am not allowed to speak of them I will give you the one piece of recorded evidence it ever existed. Only I know where it is, and only a Hokage can access it. You will have to come with me, and only you. That kind of information can't be said to anyone, and the security system for it is far beyond anything else the Elemental Countries have ever come up with with."

Naruto nodded at him. "I doubt my family can come along to see it, and I won't be able to tell them anything that I see or read there. Am I right on that?"

"Actually, you'll be taking it with you in a seal. You won't be reading it in there, and nothing else can come out of that area. Are we clear?" Naruto nodded. "Do you accept these terms?"

Naruto looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Just because one is clear on something, doesn't mean they agree, or accept it." Sarutobi said.

Naruto nodded. "Yes, I do agree. I swear on the Uzumaki and Namikaze Clans' honor and prestige that I will not reveal anything I see there, nor will I take any notes. I will have to make sure Akane agrees as well, first, before I go."

"_**Don't worry about it. Nothing we find will come out of my lips. I swear on my tails, which provide my strength, that I won't tell a soul."**_

_'How is that binding?'_

"_**Because when we lose a tail, we lose the power it brings, and it never comes back. I would cut off all of my tails before I say anything like that."**_

_'That's... Strange. Still, it's the same thing as mine, so I'll let them know.'_

"She is binding herself on her tails. I think she also told me how to kill off a Bijuu, as well." Naruto said.

"_**I did, and now you know that I'm serious."**_

"Okay... that was a weird concept. Anyway, we both have a binding agreement that nothing we see will be seen, or spoken of elsewhere."

"_**Also, once we are done with everything, I will be wiping our memories of the place to ensure its safety. Yours and mine. That way we don't even know where it came from, or any secrets regarding that location."**_

"Memory wipe of the place. That would work." Naruto said aloud, causing a few heads to turn.

Sarutobi looked at him. "You do realize I just heard that, right?" Naruto looked at him and nodded. "Well then, only you and me can go there, and we shall only head there under a Genjutsu hiding our presence."

"Got that covered. But first, a safer way to get out." Naruto pulled out a Shuriken, and handed it to Anko. "Take this back to the Namikaze Mansion, make sure it's there within 10 minutes, and put it on a roof. That will be the exit point for me. Before I even think of leaving, the Old man will get to search me for anything that isn't supposed to get out with me. I'm only adding that as a safety precaution. I know, full well how bad this can get if he needs me to know the difference between getting the concept, and actually agreeing with it."

Sarutobi looked at him in surprise. "Alright then, let's go. Although, I don't see what that Shuriken will do for an exit."

"You'll see when I leave." Naruto said.

-15 minutes later-

Naruto was done getting searched and the Hokage had approved of it. "Get going." Naruto nodded and started glowing, still in his boxers. "Hiraishin!" An orange light engulfed him, and he was gone.

A note was left in his place.

Old man,

I left this note as a bit of a thank you for the information on the Hunter Eye. If I could have taken anything else with that agreement, I would have gone for a few things, but as per the agreement, I didn't. Also, the moment the Hiraishin was used, Akane was wiping our memories of the place, it's location, what was in it, how to get in there, and everything else. The secret is safe, I won't even know the place existed, in the first place. If I come near it on accident, then I might get some Deja Vu, but that's about it.

Once again, Thanks.

Naruto Uzumaki

PS. Burn this when you are done reading it. That would be your best bet at keeping it secret.

_'That kid is full of surprises.'_ Sarutobi burned the note and left with the same Genjutsu he used beforehand.

-Namikaze estate-

Naruto flashed in through an Orange light. He looked around wondering what happened. "Why am I outside in my boxers?" Naruto asked himself, before he realized the implications of that statement.

He instantly covered himself up, looking around. _'The Namikaze Estate. I'm on the roof. Phew.'_

"_**Well, at least I saw something interesting. By the way, what's in the scroll?"**_

_'What scroll?'_ Naruto then noticed he had a scroll in his hands. _'Where did this come from? Wait, Hunter Eye... The information on it is in here?'_

"_**That's what it looks like, Naruto. There's also a Hiraishin seal on the Shuriken underneath you. I'm guessing that what ever happened, we wiped our memory of it, to keep it a secret. It would be a good idea not to go searching for it, though. If we had to wipe our memory, it must have been for a good reason."**_

_'I got it. No searching for it.'_

"_**Good. Now put your clothes back on before someone sees you."**_

_'You don't have to tell me twice.'_ Naruto quickly got dressed and hid the scroll in his jumpsuit. He jumped off the roof, after picking up the Shuriken he found there, and went inside.

-a year later-

Naruto was in a lot better standing than before. He had found out everything he possibly could about the original Hunter Eye, and managed to master most of it in his Mindscape. He was still making Explosive Tags, and practicing with Kunai, Senbon and Shuriken. He had a separate set that he kept sealed in gloves to use for the Hiraishin, should he need it.

He had met a few people, mainly the Clan Heirs and Heiresses. He found Hinata somewhat creepy, but found out quickly she liked him a lot. He managed to get her to stop stuttering, but she still blushed from time to time. He came across Sakura and Ino, who were almost infatuated with him. Though, Sakura was more interested in Sasuke than him. Sasuke was a little arrogant, and Naruto had to hit him a few times because of it. It took him a while, but he managed to get him out of it. He also met Itachi and found a lot less arrogance in him than he did in Sasuke.

He also met, Shikamaru and Chouji, which were almost inseparable. Shikamaru seemed like a lazy, spineless, cloud-watching addict. Naruto saw through it, though. He noticed that Shikamaru was highly adept in strategy games, and always found a challenge in him in both Shogi, and Go. Choji was a hearty eater. He was an Akimichi. Nuff said.

Kiba was rash, outspoken, and overall hyperactive. Naruto had a few problems with that, and taught him to stay calm, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Shadow Clones did that, and he got himself nearly beat half to death, several times, before he got the message.

Shino, though he met, he couldn't quite place. He kept mainly to himself, and didn't reveal much about himself. It took him a while, almost 4 months, before he started to open up. He just found hanging out with him was cool, and didn't really care much about on lookers.

Naruto was pretty much on good terms with all of the clans... Aside from the majority of the Hyuuga Clan, but he didn't really care. His whole attitude on the way they did things was wrong in his opinion, and he voiced it, thus making Hinata happy with it, and causing the Majority of the Clan to hate him. The Branch Members actually liked the way he thought, and in turn, liked him. Hinata and Naruto had become good friends, as did Ino and Naruto. Through him, Ino and Hinata became friends, and since they were all of the same age group, it didn't take that long for some to figure out most of it was planned that way.

Naruto has made a few friends, and noticed that they all wanted to go into the Ninja Academy. He knew he would become a Ninja his first shot. He intended to help out a few of them on the actual concepts. He didn't give any of his own abilities out, or anything from his repertoire of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or the basics of his Taijutsu. He didn't give them any Sealing Jutsu, aside from basic storage seals.

He did, however, teach them the true meaning of being a Ninja, and only those who understood it, and can deal with it, would continue on after the academy, in his eyes.

The first day of the Academy was approaching fast, and he was ready for some boring lessons. He'd be meditating through most of the day, though his eyes are open. He took the time to review everything he learned dealing with what he went through in class that day. He was being careful not to show too much, and never use any Jutsu unless needed. His Doujutsu was off-limits, unless he was in his mindscape.

Naruto went through his first day and met up with his friends. They were calling themselves the Rookie 9, although Naruto was far from a rookie, and they all knew it. What they didn't know, but never asked, was how much experience he truly has.

The first few days was nothing but lectures, which Naruto had already gone through, and understood the mechanics. When the subject of the Birth of the Shinobi nations, he was oddly attentive to the lecture. It was one of the few things that truly caught his interest. He found a total of 7 points wrong on that lecture, but none of them could be proven, so he kept quiet until the end of class, when he met up with his friends.

This is where we continue.

"You guys remember the whole situation between the Shodaime Hokage and Madara Uchiha?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this, since he was present. "If you're going to diss the Uchiha clan because of one person that's dead, I'm leaving."

"I'm not dissing anyone that's dead. I just found a few things that was wrong, in truth. All of which I can only prove by showing you something that would normally be against the law. There is one thing you should know about regarding Madara. First off, he's alive."

That got a few gasps. "Before you say it's impossible, I have a few questions for Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at him like he was crazy, but nodded. "What do you know about the Sharingan?"

"Well, I do know it's the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha Clan, and of the most powerful Doujutsu. I haven't unlocked mine yet, though."

"Do you know of the upgrades it has?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know much about them, but what would you know?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow raised. Naruto sighed.

"The Sharingan is powerful, sure. However, there are 2 more powerful versions. One is the Mangekyo Sharingan. That Sharingan, though more powerful, has a massive drawback." Sasuke's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?"

Naruto looked him in the eye with his dead serious look. "If one uses the Mangekyo Sharingan based Jutsu too many times, they'll eventually go blind. That's where the second Upgrade comes in."

Everyone was listening intently. "The next form is called the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. You see, it's called Eternal for a reason, and only one Uchiha has ever gotten that far. That one is Madara Uchiha. No one knows exactly how it works, aside from those that have encountered it. All I know on that, is that once achieved, you will regain your sight, and be able to use the Mangekyo Jutsu without risk of blindness. However, the path to the Eternal Mangekyo is a treacherous one, filled with darkness." Naruto said.

Sasuke was glaring at him. "How do you know any of this? Not even the Uchiha Clan knows that much about it."

"There's more that I know. While I was out of the village for a year, I learned a lot more about the world, and also that Madara Uchiha is still alive. Right now, there are 3 people that I have sworn to truly kill him, where the Shodaime failed. All 3 of them know who he is, and were being controlled by him at least once in their lives. Only one of them is dead, and that's because he told me to end his life. That was the Death of the Yondaime Mizukage. That was also the day that Mei Terumi was named Mizukage." Naruto told them.

Sasuke glared at him, but found a question forming. "How do you unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan?"

"Well, first off, you have to have a fully developed Sharingan. After that, from what I've been told, you'd have to kill someone you care for more than yourself. One you'd die, come back to life, and then die again for. To go for the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, you have to take your siblings Mangekyo Sharingan, thus killing them."

Sasuke looked at him in shock. Not even his father knew that. "How do you..."

"The same reason that I know full well Madara is alive. He was 7 years ago, and this I know for a fact." Naruto said, sending them up the wall.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked.

"I already know of the events the day the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked the village. I know to a better extent than most. The reason for that... I can't say up front. I hate the laws, but I have to follow them. However, I did teach most of you Meditation. There is a reason for that, however, I won't really say the reason right now." Naruto said.

"_**Kid, you really want them to meet me?"**_

_'One day, maybe. Sasuke and Hinata, definitely right now.'_

"_**Are you sure?"**_

_'Completely.'_

"Sasuke, Hinata the two of you should come by the Academy Training Field tomorrow. There are a few things you'll need to know regarding my sources on this. The two of you are especially important to this fact, and the rest aren't really affected by it just yet. That's basically why it's just you two for now." Sasuke grinned. Hinata blushed. "There is only one thing you need to know before that happens."

They both looked at him with surprise. "What you hear or see there, cannot be spoken of. It doesn't matter if your life is danger. You'd be killed if you said anything on those topics in the first place." Naruto had his mother's patented Death Glare on his face. They both were scared shitless of that particular glare. It meant he means business.

They both nodded, not wanting to trust their mouths. Everyone present knew that he was _deadly_ serious. Extra emphasis on Deadly.

-the next day-

Another boring lesson. When the 3 of them got to the Academy Training Field the sat down and started to meditate.

-Naruto's Mindscape-

Sasuke, Hinata, and Naruto had appeared in a field. There was a Red head playing around in the meadow. She noticed that the 3 of them were there and walked up to them. **"Ah, so you were serious yesterday."**

"Would I have said that if I wasn't? You already know who they are." Naruto told her. "Sasuke, Hinata, this is Akane Kitsune."

Sasuke felt a strange power emanating from her. Hinata decided to activate her Byakugan, only to find out it was deactivated immediately. "Sorry, I forgot to mention that the Byakugan and Sharingan won't work here."

"**I noticed. Anyway, as he said my name is Akane. What you don't realize is what you may know me as."** Akane said.

"So this is your source of information on the Sharingan." Sasuke said. "And what do you mean what we "may" know you as?"

Naruto smirked. "You want to tell them or should I?"

"**Let's go into where we are first. Then we'll tell them that. This is Naruto's mindscape. In short, his own world inside his mind. Are you with me so far?"** They both nodded. **"As for who you might know me as, I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and one of the ones that Madara has put under his control. However, there is a problem with that bastard."**

Hinata and Sasuke's eyes widened. **"He has the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, for one. Another problem I've had with that bastard is he has done this not once, but TWICE!"**

"Akane! CALM THE FUCK DOWN!" Naruto yelled.

"**Sorry, but you know how I get when that bastard is brought up."**

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know. We're going to tell you of the day that Akane here had attacked the village 7 years ago. As I said, this information is not to get out, otherwise, you're as good as dead."

Sasuke and Hinata nodded, though Hinata was a little scared.

Akane went on to explain what happened, in detail, that day. She was getting a little pissed off, but Naruto making a Black orb in his palm calmed her down considerably. **"And that's what truly happened. I was only pissed off that day because I couldn't do a damn thing about that stupid Genjutsu!"** Akane punched the ground and made a hole the size of her fist.

Naruto looked at the two he brought in. "Now do you see why I'm after Madara? If not, he's something else I bet you didn't know. I told you about Yagura, and how he had me end his life. What no one but my mother, Kakashi Hatake, myself, a man named Ao, and Mei Terumi, the current Mizukage, knows is that Yagura was under the influence of the same Genjutsu as Akane was. As was the Sanbi no Genbu. The 3 of them are just 3 of the reasons that I'm after him. Another reason is because he has lived longer than nature intended. Death can't touch him. Literally."

Sasuke looked at him. "Literally?"

"I asked the Lord of Fiends Gonta about it. The Shinigami can't even touch him. He is that good at this point. Nothing can be done about it, but it is for these reasons I am after him. He needs to be brought to justice, and I know he will be after Akane once more. Meaning he'll come after me." Naruto said, clearly a little ticked.

Hinata noticed how he felt. "I know you're upset at him, but there isn't much anyone can do about it."

"**Do you even know why he wanted to join the Ninja force in the first place?"** Akane asked.

Hinata nodded. "At least I do now. It was to help you take out someone that has gone beyond Life and Death."

Naruto nodded. **"She caught that quicker than I expected."**

"No kidding." Naruto said, nodding. Sasuke was standing in fear of the Blonde Maelstrom, and he noticed. "I'm not after the Uchiha Clan in general, Sasuke. Only Madara. However, this information can not, and will not be brought up, until the law stating the events of October 10th are not allowed to be talked about is lifted. There is one more thing you should know about, but that's only after we graduate. There is a Third Doujutsu in the village and active. I have it, as well. I will not go into detail about it unless you are on my team after graduation."

Sasuke and Hinata nodded.

Hinata then spoke. "I have a question for Akane."

"**What is it?"** Akane's voice was calm and somewhat sweet.

"Well, if Naruto and I get paired up with the teams, you wouldn't mind us... you know... dating?" Hinata asked, blushing up a storm.

Akane simply giggled at that. **"I wouldn't mind if you kissed him right here and now. However, you'd have to ask him about that."**

Naruto was blushing now. "A-akane!"

"**You know she likes you. That's why you helped her these past few months. You can't deny it, because I know for a fact you did."** Akane was laughing. Hinata was blushing, Sasuke was amused.

Naruto, on the other hand, was getting a little ticked off. "Oh Akane." His voice was somewhat seductive, yet filled with an unknown emotion. She looked at him and saw his eyes change. **"Wait. What are doing? You're not supposed to..."**

"GRAVITY CANNON!" Naruto yelled, causing Akane to be lifted up into the air and stuck in a Gravity field. He didn't even move his arms. He threw a few Shuriken towards Akane, skimming her clothes, ripping them to shreds. A sword appeared in his hand. "HIRAISHIN!"

Naruto was bathed in orange light and Akane was being cut up from every direction, blood going everywhere, but never reaching the ground. Naruto then landed and threw one more Shuriken. Right before it got to Akane, Naruto made a handsign. "Katsu!" It exploded. "Gravity Cannon!" Akane was then blasted several miles back.

Naruto's eyes went back to normal. Hinata and Sasuke were shocked at what he just did. He walked back up to them. "She knows better than to tease me like that when I'm in here with guests. Hopefully, she remembers why this is my mindscape."

Akane got back to him, fully clothed. **"Did you really have to do all of that?"**

"Yes, I did. You KNOW you're not supposed to go off like that when there are others in here!" Naruto yelled at her.

"**Akane sorry. Akane will go into the forest for a time out, because Akane is a good girl."** Akane ran off to the forest.

(A/N: Sorry for the Tobi reference but I just couldn't resist.)

"I swear. Sometimes she's just like a fangirl. Never a good thing." Naruto said, sighing. "Anyway, now you know why I'm after Madara. What do you plan on doing with that knowledge?"

Sasuke looked at him. "I'm not saying anything on that subject. I do have one question. The information on the Sharingan. Am I able to talk about that to my clan?"

Naruto nodded. "As long as Madara is not mentioned, there is no problems with that. If anyone asks how you came by that information, you are not to reveal anything else on that subject. Just say it is an S-class secret, that will get you killed if you reveal where you got it from. If I don't, Akane or the ANBU will."

Hinata did raise her hand. "What do you have to say?"

"I know that we can't say anything on this, but Akane mentioned something about your eyes. What exactly was she talking about?"

"It's the Third Doujutsu in the village. As I said before, I'm not allowed to speak of it. I'm not even supposed to use it until I graduate from the Academy. Then again, while I'm here you can't really say anyone will notice that I'm using it, unless they, themselves are in here. If Akane didn't tease me earlier, she could have explained it to you, because, unlike me, she is unaffected by that particular law. In fact, that's the only reason she said anything about the Day she was forced to attack the village. I'm not even allowed to say that. And that means the two of you can't, either." Naruto said.

Sasuke stared at him. "One more thing. If you call bullshit on something that's said in class, it's because you found out otherwise from Akane?"

Naruto nodded. "That would be right. However, you'd be better off going with the Class lectures, than true history from one who's been there. At least until we graduate. That is when true history comes in handy."

Sasuke and Hinata nodded. "So, going by the teachers lectures will help us in the Academy, but not afterwards?"

"Bingo." Naruto smiled.

They both nodded again. "Well, that's everything I've got."

"Same here." Sasuke said.

"Ditto." Hinata said.

"Then let's get going. Remember the rules I laid out yesterday." They all nodded. They began to glow and left.

Akane left the forest, realizing they are gone. **"Now I can chase the butterfly again."**

(A/N: Why am I not surprised?)

-2 weeks later-

It was a Friday, meaning the beginning of Taijutsu Training. Iruka Umino and Mizuki were both on a training field with Naruto's class. "Alright class, we're starting on Taijutsu today. You all have gone over the information on the Academy style, so you know how to get in the stance. Now I will call out two names at a time, and those two will start by coming into the circle."

He called off names until one pair in particular came up. "Naruto Uzumaki vs Sasuke Uchiha."

They both went into the circle, and did the greeting without being told what it was. They both knew what it was already, so they went ahead a did it. "We are both familiar with what is to be done for a spar."

Naruto and Sasuke got into their own stances. Sasuke had the usual Uchiha Taijutsu stance, while Naruto had one no one recognized, aside from Hinata. He was in his Kitsune Style Taijutsu stance.

"Iruka-sensei, it would be a good idea for you to give us a time limit. As for you, Sasuke." Naruto's eyes never left Sasuke's for a second. "This is only a spar, so don't take a loss or a win to heart."

Sasuke smirked, his eyes never leaving Naruto's. "I know. May we fight with honor,"

"For our clans and families," Naruto continued.

"And the sake of our village." They both finished simultaneously, surprising both Iruka and Mizuki.

"Hajime!" Iruka said, starting a 5 minute clock. Naruto and Sasuke were just standing there, looking at each other. After 3 seconds, Sasuke charged Naruto.

Naruto dodged the first punch, and went around Sasuke, not striking when he had the chance. Sasuke turned around and went for a Roundhouse Right. Naruto flipped over it, grabbing the leg in doing so. He flipped Sasuke over, and he went flying. Sasuke hit a tree, with his feet, and jumped off. Naruto wasn't looking at him, but side stepped his strike, and hit him in the gut, making him cough up spit.

Sasuke was on the ground, heaving. "Looks like I win." Sasuke nodded in response. "You mind if I help out?"

Sasuke nodded. Naruto's hand glowed green, and touched his stomach. Sasuke was no longer heaving, and his breathing returned to normal. "Thanks."

"No sweat." They both did the Shinobi handshake usually taught during the Academy. Pointer and Middle fingers crossing. Sasuke had his on the top, since he lost. They nodded and smiled at each other.

The rest of the day went by rather quickly, and was slightly boring.

The only thing he found interesting was Ninjutsu, which he had down already, Taijutsu, which he was far beyond the others as he had demonstrated, and Target practice, which he aced easily. He always aced the tests, with perfect marks, but he never did more than he was asked to do. Sometimes he did less, and found several problems in the education. He didn't complain, because he was one of the best. He helped some of his friends, where he could help. Sakura, with her physical strength and Stamina. Hinata, with her shyness. Sasuke, with his arrogance and feeling of superiority. Shikamaru, with his lack of motivation, but couldn't help much.

Chouji was a problem... a Big problem. (A/N: No, I'm not calling him fat.) Naruto had a lot of trouble training him, so he was at a loss there. Shino he couldn't help out much, but Akane had a few ideas, so he decided to try them out. Oddly enough, they helped him out quite a bit.

However, nothing could prepare them for what was about to happen. As usual, Naruto was meditating. He felt a disturbance in the Uchiha Compound. Itachi was feeling pain, but others were dying around him. _'No. He couldn't be...'_

"_**I wouldn't put it past those elders to get rid of a threat. Remember, the Uchiha Clan was planning a coup detat. Itachi was probably sent to stop them before they can. You should save Mikoto, if only for your mother."**_

_'I couldn't agree more. Time for the Kitsune Warrior to make his next appearance.'_

Naruto used a True Transformation Jutsu to make him look older, with his mask on. He looked about 20 years old, with a Kitsune mask on. "Alright. Let's get her out of there."

-Uchiha compound-

Kitsune was heading straight to Mikoto, while keeping his own presence hidden. He found Mikoto, before Itachi could get to her. "Mikoto Uchiha. Your life is in danger here. Come with me."

Mikoto looked at him. "Just who are you?"

"The Kitsune Warrior." was his reply. Mikoto went wide eyed with shock. "Alright. How are we getting out of here?"

He grabbed her wrist. "Like this." They disappeared in a flash of Orange, a false body, bleeding, in their place.

Kitsune and Mikoto were next to a shack in the southern forests. "You should be safe here. I'll get Sasuke."

"What's going on, Kitsune?" Mikoto asked.

"Itachi is stopping the coup detat, by eliminating the Uchiha Clan. Stay here. It wouldn't do for you to die just yet." Kitsune said as he disappeared in an Orange Flash. A note was in his place.

Mikoto,

Stay at this shack. You will be safe as long as you don't leave the clearing. I set it up in case someone needs to stay hidden, mainly myself. The clearing itself is surrounded by several seals, each one concealing the presence of anyone inside.

One seal stops scents on the inside from getting out. Another stops Chakra from being sensed right outside of the seal. A third seal keeps any sounds from the inside mute on the outside. A Fourth seal is used to create a Genjutsu barrier, that rivals that of the Namikaze compound. No one can get inside without special means, and anyone on the inside can leave. I would suggest you don't, though.

The longer you stay here, the safer you'll be. I left a fake body of you there, the same way I left a note here. I shouldn't be long.

Kitsune Warrior

Mikoto finished reading the note, and nodded, looking to the sky. Another Orange flash came in, with Sasuke and Kitsune there. "I've got him, Mikoto. The 2 of you should stay here until morning. You'll be safe from the Uchiha Massacre, as I believe it will be called one day. You two will survive, and Itachi will be forced to flee the village. Once he finds out he won't be able to complete his mission, he will leave, along with that other signature I found. That one... No, it can't be."

"_**It is. That's Madara, alright. I'd know that stench anywhere. Don't pursue him right now, though."**_

_'Why not?'_

"_**You're not ready yet. I can't have you dying on me, and he's still beyond you. Trust me on this one. ****If you confront him now, you'll die. Then again, if you die, I'll die as well, so either way, someone is screwed."**_

_'So, if I die, I take you with me. If I kill him, which isn't likely, I'll end up dying myself, from severe exhaustion, right?'_

"_**That's right. As much as I hate it, you should let him go, and not mention his interference there."**_

_'Agreed.'_

"Who are you?" Sasuke said, angry.

Kitsune turned to him. "That is of no concern right now. All you need to know, is I just now saved your life, along with your mother's. You'll be better off surviving here than in the Uchiha Compound. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

"I'm not sure how to thank you." Mikoto said.

"Don't. If you want to thank someone, thank Kushina and Naruto Uzumaki. They are friends of mine, and it's because of them I saved you two. Do them a favor, and stay here for the night. If not, they'll never let me leave it down." Kitsune said.

"Also, Naruto did have a message should this happen. Sasuke, revenge is never a good idea to base your life off of. It only leads to pain, suffering, sorrow, and above all else, complete loneliness. Before you know it, your life is revenge. You won't be yourself, and can never go back. Do not give in to the darkness, and always look to the light." Kitsune began walking off.

"Oh? And where is the light, huh? He's after revenge, as well!" Sasuke yelled.

"He is doing so, not for vengeance, but to uphold balance and peace. There is a difference there. As for the light, there is one right behind you. Another is is the Namikaze compound. Consider what you have, instead of what you lost, and you will find the light from others, connecting to the one within you."

Kitsune turned to him. "In every darkness, there is light. For where there is one, the other exists. Find the Light of Hope, in the Darkness of Despair, and embrace the light. Only then will you realize how to truly live." Sasuke looked at him in awe.

"How do I find it?"

"That is not for me to answer. With everyone, that light is within. However, to find it, you must search for it yourself. As long as you have hope, you can find the light." Kitsune turned away. "For without it, the Light of Hope will fade." He left in the shadows.

"Find the Light of Hope in the Darkness of Despair? That's a new one." Mikoto said, Sasuke staring at her. "Do you know what he means by that?"

Mikoto shook her head. "Still, I think it's a good idea to stay here for the night as he asked. If this note is anything to go by." Mikoto handed him the note, and he read it.

"He is good. I should get him to train me." Sasuke said.

"I doubt he would. However, I think when he said there was one behind you, he was talking about me. So, if I had to guess, he means living family and friends are a good source of light. They give you the strength to go on, when you can't do any more. That's the way friends work. You don't need to worry about having many friends, though."

A note appeared in front of them. "What's this?" Sasuke grabbed it.

Sasuke,

Something else I should say: Beware of Fangirls.

They are no good, and tend to make a big fuss out of little things. After this little incident, they are going to hound you. Talk to Naruto about how much of a pain they can get, and ways to avoid them. He's already got a few.

Don't let anyone stroke your ego, as it will only serve to bring you towards Darkness. Ignoring praise is one way to avoid getting a big ego. However, ignoring feedback period leaves one to never improve.

One can always improve. You can ask Naruto about that as well.

Kitsune Warrior

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. He's good." Sasuke said.

-the next day-

Sasuke went up to Naruto before class. Naruto had already heard the rumors, but he knew the truth. "Hey Sasuke, I'm sorry about what happened."

"Don't be. I was helped out by some guy calling himself the Kitsune Warrior. My mother and I are alive thanks to him. Itachi will have to pay, one day. When that day comes, I want to be there." Sasuke said.

Naruto looked at him. "I take it, Kitsune gave you a few tips on revenge, as well?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "I see. Take them to heart, as they will keep you together, and stop you from going insane. Sure as hell know it could happen."

"He did say to ask you about fangirls, and how to avoid them." Naruto chuckled. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just the way it was worded. Anyway, one thing you'll need to know for sure is the look in their eyes. When they look like they're hungry for something, or feeling lust: Avoid them. If you see sympathy in them: Keep an eye on them. If you see nothing in their eyes: They don't care, and are safe. I had to figure this out the hard way."

"Why just keep an eye on the sympathetic ones?" Sasuke asked, sitting down next to him.

"Because they could turn into a fangirl, or a fanboy. On the other hand, they could turn out to be a good friend. Keep them at arm's length, and if they blow up in your face after a while: they'll calm down sooner or later. If they come back to apologize after that, and I'm not saying they will, that's a good friend to have."

Naruto sighed. "A lot of people care about a name. Names aren't what make people strong or weak. It's their knowledge, and control of their skills. Strength is on an individual level. True Strength cannot be simply inherited. One must train their mind and body, and keep them balanced. That is what I do, and you've seen some of the results."

Sasuke nodded. "Is that everything?"

"Well, in the case of avoiding Fangirls that don't leave you alone: A clone with the Substitution Jutsu works wonders. I do it with the Shadow Clone all the time, and it works highly well if done in a public place." Naruto smirked.

"Public humiliation?" Naruto nodded at his response. "Cruel, but effective, right?"

"Exactly. It may be cruel, but they have to realize the importance of their Ninja training if they are going to succeed. That means that they focus less on boys, and more on their training. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask." Naruto finished.

Sasuke nodded, and they both turned to the front for the lecture. Though, Naruto wasn't really paying attention, as usual.

00000x00000

Chapter 5 complete.

I ignored most of Sasuke's actions and skipped most of the massacre. There was probably a reason behind it, but if there is, I'll figure it out long after I put this up.

By the way, 3 days, no internet, and 5 chapters completed. 6, if you count my other stories as well.

Not bad, since I was bored and had a Paperwork Influx, as I call it. It's when you do a shitload of paperwork and the majority of it gets void the moment you turn it in. That's what I hate about it. That's another reason I just type, and not think about things as I do so.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto/Shippuuden.

**Chapter 6**

-Recap-

The Rookie 9 had gone through the Academy with relative ease the past four years. Sasuke didn't really make any new friends, but stuck with the Rookie 9. He found Naruto's presence calming, for some reason. They stuck together more often than not, but sometimes they were joined by Hinata Hyuuga, and rarely the rest of them until recently.

Being as the 3 of them are of the 3 honored Shinobi Clans, and the heirs of said clans, they found each other's presences to be a lot better than most. Sakura came up a few times, if only just to talk. Sasuke did say that something was strange about her, and he couldn't place it. When he asked Naruto, he said he couldn't say for sure. She was borderline fangirl, but was different from the rest. That was basically all he could gather.

Sasuke paid close attention to her, without her realizing it, mostly. He didn't stalk her, and she didn't really stalk him either. She let him know that she was following him, and stayed in sight. He found that she was a little pretty, but he never really figured out why he thought that. Even Akane was strangely silent on that matter, and she loved teasing them both about their love life.

-Recap, Kai!-

The Rookie 9 had a lot going for them, and it was time for the Graduation Exams. They had been training for this, and didn't even bat an eye at the announcement. In fact, they were a lot better off than most of them.

The first portion was the Written Exam. They all got perfect marks on it, knowing that most of that information wouldn't help them in the field wouldn't help them now. It would later, and they figured that the Best in the class would be among them.

The second portion was Target Practice. "Alright, everyone. You have the choice of Kunai, Shuriken, and Senbon. You get 8 of them, or a combination of the three. There are 8 targets out there, and you will be graded on a 10-point system." Iruka said.

Sasuke chose 4 Kunai and 4 Shuriken. He got perfect marks on all of them, meaning 80 points. Naruto had chosen 4 Senbon, 2 Shuriken, and 2 Kunai. All of them were perfect shots, as well. He did throw a Kunai at a Senbon he threw beforehand, thus slicing it in half, just to prove he had accuracy.

Sasuke did make a comment on that, saying it was Overkill, but Naruto just shrugged. He didn't care about what he could mostly. He only knew that someone out there was stronger and better than him. There always is.

Sakura choose all Kunai, and got 79, by missing one bullseye by half an inch. Hinata was called up and chose all Senbon. She got 80 points. Ino came up and chose all Senbon, getting herself 78 points. Kiba went up and chose all Shuriken. He missed with one, but hit dead center on all the others. 70 points. Shino chose Senbon, and got 79 by missing with one by the same amount as Sakura. Chouji chose all Kunai, and hit most of them dead center but missed a few of the bullseye, earning him 73 points. Shikamaru chose 4 Kunai and 4 Shuriken getting him 70. He missed one, but Naruto could tell it was on purpose.

Most of the others praised Sasuke and Naruto for doing well, and one tried tackling Naruto. The moment she grabbed him, he smirked, causing Sasuke to smirk, and went poof. As usual, Naruto avoided the fangirl tackle, and ended up on a tree branch. "You should know by now I don't appreciate the fangirl tackle." That is all Naruto ever says after the fact.

Next up came the Taijutsu portion. The entire group was to go up against Mizuki. They were to either land a hit on him, or stay up for 5 minutes. The entire Rookie 9 went up against him, and got a hit in at exactly One minute. Iruka began to think that they planned it that way. When Naruto went up, though, he had more openings than most of them. Iruka noticed that he didn't go for most of them, and hit Mizuki at exactly One minute.

Finally, the Jutsu portion. They had to perform the 3 Academy Jutsu. They knew they had it made. Since they were called in order of Last Name, Naruto was second to last, and Ino was last.

(A/N: I'll be doing this by character, but not necessarily in order. Don't like it? Deal with it.)

-Sakura-

"Sakura, the first part is Transformation. The rule for this is that the one you transform into cannot be made up." Iruka said. Sakura made a one handed handsign. She caught the Fourth Hokage's appearance exactly. Iruka nodded.

"Next up, Substitution. You are to switch with something in this... room?" Sakura was sitting in his seat, while he was standing where she was not even a second ago. Her feet were on the desk. "This good enough?" Iruka nodded. She switched back, but Iruka was upside down in the chair. "Yes, I did that on purpose."

Iruka righted himself. "Finally, Clones. You must make 3 Clones." Sakura snapped. 9 Clones popped out. "Well done. Head back out, and back to the classroom. You passed, that's for sure." Sakura dispelled the clones, and left the room.

-Hinata-

Hinata went for a transformation, however skipped the regular Transformation Jutsu and used Naruto's version. She snapped and made no audible sound. What appeared was Tsunade of Sannin. She had a pissed off look on her face. "That's good. Substitution."

Hinata deactivated the Transformation, and switched with Mizuki. Her feet were on the desk. _'Just like Sakura.'_ Iruka thought. "Clones. You must make 3 of them."

Hinata was where she should be and made 10 Clones with a snap. "You passed. Head back to the classroom. You'll get your headband when the announcement is made after the Exams."

-Ino-

(A/N: yes, I'm going ladies first)

For transformation, she transformed into Mei Terumi. It was a perfect likeness, and Iruka was surprised she even knew what she looked like underneath the Mizukage robes. "You have that down. Next up, Substitution." _'I'm still wondering how she knows how the Mizukage looks underneath those robes. Not even I do.'_

Ino looked at Iruka. "That's because one of the Students today has seen her before she became the Mizukage, and has a picture." She switched with Mizuki as she said that.

_'Again with switching with the teachers. At least, this is the last one.'_

"Clones. You must make 3." Iruka said. Ino just snapped, and made 9 Clones.

"Pass. Head back to the classroom." Iruka said.

-Naruto-

For the Transformation, Naruto had a crazy idea. He snapped and made a perfect likeness of the Raikage from his visit to Kumogakure, causing Iruka and Mizuki to shiver. "What? You got a problem with this?" His voice was a lot deeper than before, and scared the shit out of Mizuki.

They both shook their heads quickly. _'It's like he knows what he talks like, and his voice... How does he even know that?'_

They managed to shake off their fear for the next test. "Substitution. Switch with something in this room." He switched with Iruka, but was no where to be seen. "Dammit. Where did he go?"

A Kunai was at his neck a second after he finished. "Right here." Iruka was sweating. The Kunai vanished, and Iruka went back to his seat. "This next part is clones. You must make 3."

"Question. Is it possible to do another type of Clone?" Naruto asked. Iruka raised an eyebrow, his fear gone for a moment.

"Why do you ask?"

Naruto sighed. "The regular Clone Jutsu was never my forte, and no matter how hard I tried I could never get it. However, I have a few other types of Clones I can make."

Mizuki stared at him. "I don't see why not. You still must make 3 Clones."

Naruto nodded and closed his eyes. He dissipated for a few seconds, and 15 Naruto's appeared in front of them both. "Wind Clones. What do you think?" They both nodded. "You pass, with flying colors. Head back to the classroom, and you will get your headband then."

-Sasuke-

Sasuke chose to transform into the Shodaime Hokage. He caught it perfectly. Iruka nodded.

For Substitution, he swapped with a pen, who was in Iruka's position, and Iruka was in his original Position. "Double Substitution. What do you think?" Sasuke said from the window.

"Clones. You must make 3." Sasuke rolled his eyes and snapped. No sound, but 15 clones came out.

Iruka and Mizuki nodded. "Pass. Head back to the classroom."

(A/N: You know what? Screw it. I'm skipping ahead to the announcements.)

-Classroom, after the exams-

Everyone was sitting down when Iruka and Mizuki came in. A lot of people passed, Rookie 9 included.

"The rookie of the year goes to," Iruka paused for dramatic effect. The Rookie 9 took this as an opportunity to make a sound barrier around their heads. Courtesy of Naruto. "Naruto Uzumaki." Cue fangirl scream. "Runner up is," Another pause. "Sasuke Uchiha." fangirl scream. They didn't drop the barrier during that point. They didn't care.

Iruka had to use his Giant Oni Head Jutsu to calm the class down. They took that as a sign that the fangirl screech was over. "Thank you. Best Kunoichi of the year... Sakura Haruno. The runner up is Hinata Hyuuga."

The Rookie 9 nodded. Ino was a little down. Sakura was next to her, cheering her up. After that, he called all of the other Graduates, saving the Rookie 9 for last. At the end he said, "The last 5 were among the top ranks in the class. They were about on par with the Top 4 students, which gained the Rookie of the year, Kunoichi of the Year, and their runner ups. Those 9 are so close, it's like they planned it. I sure as hell know that they planned the 1:00 on the dot for all 9 of them."

Those mentioned smirked. "Honestly, I'm surprised you did that. Anyway, those of you I called out, come up, get a headband, and be back in this classroom in 1 week for Team Placements. You are dismissed until then." Iruka said.

Everyone put their headbands where they would normally go in each case. (A/N: In Canon at least. Yes, I'm being lazy. Deal with it.)

-2 hours later-

The Rookie 9 was in the Namikaze Estate having fun. Their parents were all there, and having a blast as well. Kushina, more than most. Anko was also there, but she lived there as Naruto's sister.

Kushina was setting off pranks, and the only ones she didn't manage to hit were Mikoto, Hikari, and Naruto. The rest got caught rather easily. Mikoto laughed when Sasuke got hit, and Naruto chuckled when Hinata did.

Naruto did help Hinata out of what his mother put her in, but that proved to be a mistake on his part. She chased him around the entire estate finally cornering him. "That wasn't funny you know."

Naruto nodded. "I know it's not. But _this_ is." Naruto went poof, proving him to be a Shadow Clone. "What a fool. He thought I was going to attack him. He doesn't seem to realize I wanted the opposite." Hinata looked a little down.

Someone tapped on her Shoulder. "Well, I do now." She turned and found Naruto smiling at her. "I know you like me, but the situation was just funny in my opinion. Just try to be more careful for a while. My mom is in a pranking mood, and I know to watch my step when that happens. And now you know why."

Hinata just stared at him. "Humor me."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "When she's in a pranking mood, traps are set all over the place within seconds. She hides them better than I do, and it's only thanks to Akane that I can even find some of them before they go off. Even when I set them off, they only get a Clone. She's one of the Pranking Queens. Akane is another, so yeah."

Hinata nodded at that. "Well, I guess it's a good thing then. By the way," Hinata pecked him on the cheek, causing Akane to giggle. "That's for explaining it to me." Naruto was blushing. He was oddly silent, though his mindscape was going somewhat loopy.

"_**NARUTO!"**_ Akane yelled in his mind, stabilizing the area. **_"Thank you."_**

_'What the hell, Akane? Why did you yell into my mind?'_

"_**Because your mindscape was distorting itself. It's a form of instability."**_

_'Hey, give me a break. Hinata just kissed my cheek, and I didn't even expect that.'_

"_**I know, but you need better control over your own mindscape at those points."**_

_'Oh shut up.'_

"_**Or wh..."**_ Naruto cut the link, just to stop the conversation. "Or that." He looked at Hinata as she was staring at him. "Akane?"

"Akane."

"Yelling at you?"

"Mindscape going instable, or something like that." Naruto said. "I think I know why as well. I'm not even going into that, and I'll be seeing her tonight at the earliest."

Hinata nodded. "Do you mind if I hold your hand, then?" Naruto shook his head. "Not at all."

They grabbed each others hand, interlocking their fingers. They went back to the others and avoided a trap. Thankfully, Naruto saw this one coming. He got them both out of it quickly. When they got to the others, Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Naruto, but smirked when he saw the glare. He already figured it out.

Ino, on the other hand, had the gossiping side appear. "Alright, so what happened you two?"

Naruto and Hinata blushed. Sakura caught the blush, and smirked herself. "Hey, Sasuke?"

"Yeah, they are." he told her. "Honestly, I'm not surprised at his choice. He's not likely to admit it, but he has a thing for her, and he knows she likes him. Even Akane knows, and she teases him constantly because of it." Sakura nodded. They all met Akane, but she didn't explain who she really was to anyone but Sasuke and Hinata.

"I don't get why Akane is in his mindscape, though. And why is her last name Kitsune? I've been curious about that for a while now, but never asked." Sakura said, looking at Naruto.

"Are you going fangirl on me?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, only for her to shake her head. "He's a friend, so I'm just curious. I know you don't like fangirls, and neither does he, so I've been trying to avoid going there. It doesn't mean anything but trouble and rejection. You can thank Naruto for teaching me that."

Sasuke grinned at that. "I would tell you, but I can't just yet. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. Besides, the law is the reason I even made that promise in the first place. By the way, have you heard anything about a guy going by the name of Kitsune Warrior?"

Sakura nodded. "He saved me once. Naruto started training me a few days later. If not for him, I'd just be a book nerd. Then again, Ino's the biggest on gossip. She's bound to know more than me. Why do you ask?"

Sasuke looked at her with a somewhat depressed expression. "He's the one who saved both my mother and myself during the Uchiha Massacre. It's only because of him that we are alive, and I didn't get lost to vengeance. Him and Naruto both. Thing is, I haven't seen him since then. I've been wanting to thank him in person, but every time I ask Naruto to get him, he only says that he doesn't show himself unless it's necessary, and he never removes his mask."

Sakura nodded at that. "Well, he did whisper something before he left me, though it wasn't said to me. I have a feeling that he is somehow related to the Yondaime." Sasuke looked at her with a bit of surprise.

"What was it?"

"I'm not completely sure, but I thought he said Hiraishin. That's the Yondaime's personal Jutsu, and how he gained the Alias Yellow Flash. The only difference I could see was it was orange, not Yellow." Sakura said, sighing.

Sasuke looked directly at Naruto in awe. _'It can't be... Could it?'_ "Sakura, did Naruto tell you the name of his Taijutsu Style?"

"Yeah, the Kitsune Style. I've never seen it before, nor have I even heard of it before he told me. Why?" Sakura had an eyebrow raised.

_'That settles it. Just to be sure.'_ "If you ever meet him again, call him Naruto. See how he reacts. If I'm right on my theory, Naruto could very well be the Kitsune Warrior."

Naruto was suddenly right there. "You finally figured it out, Sasuke." He scared them half out of their wits. Sasuke recovered first. "You mean..."

"Yup. That was me. In fact, the only one here he hasn't helped out is Shikamaru. It's my way of field testing things in real combat, without showing who I really am. Don't tell anyone I said that, though. Same with who he really is. If you see him, call him Kitsune." Naruto said. They both nodded.

Sakura then realized something. "Are you related to the Yondaime somehow?"

Naruto smirked and nodded. "Then, how?"

Naruto pulled out a scroll. He drew himself, and then his mother. The Yondaime was right next to Kushina there, a line between them, that extended to him. "This is how. Another thing that would be best kept a secret. Especially from ninja from Iwagakure. They'd be after me no matter how old I was. That's the only reason that it's not public yet. Still, it will be made public either when I turn 16 or become a Chuunin. Whichever comes first. It's obvious they're already after the Kitsune Warrior. After all, he does have the Hiraishin."

Hinata walked over to them. "Hey, Naruto-kun. I just heard something from my mother. She, your mother, and Sasuke's mother were on a team when they were Genin. I'd be a little surprised if they put us on a team together, but if they did..."

"Second Generation Squad. Another possibility of a Second Generation is Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji. The Ino-Shika-Cho, composed of their fathers. That's only two of the 3 successful teams. The final one was comprised of the Sannin, one of which went Rogue some time ago. The guy's a bastard, but not as big a threat as Madara. Now is when what I taught you all will be useful. Remember, History is written by the victor. True history is what matters, and reveals more truth than smoke and mirrors, such as written history."

(A/N: Yes, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare quote. Said by Captain Price in the beginning of one of the missions in the campaign. Don't ask which one, because I can't remember the name. Also, I only own a copy of the game, nothing of the original belongs to me.)

They all nodded at Naruto's statement. "Well, that's enough of that. There's something I want to show you all. Something that you all know of, but don't know about."

Kushina looked at him. "Are you sure about that, sweetie?" Naruto nodded at her. "Yes mom. They've all met Akane before, however, only two of them know who she really is. I only let them know that because their parents were teammates with you as Genin. It's something I figured I should trust them with, but now the rest of them need to know the full story." Kushina nodded.

"Alright everyone, gather around. We're heading into my mindscape, and since you've all been there, you know how it's done." Naruto said, as he went in.

-Naruto's Mindscape-

The entire group ended up in a massive field. Naruto was in front of all of them. Akane had a few animals lying on or around her. She noticed that everyone was there. **"Hey. Thanks for putting these animals in here. They've been good friends for a while. They're a lot more peaceful, and adds a more natural feel to the place."**

Naruto just nodded. "You're welcome. Anyway, as you all know this is Akane. However, only my mother, Anko, Sasuke and Hinata know who she really is. According to my knowledge anyway."

Mikoto and Hikari smirked. Akane caught the smirks. **"You do realize I can see you two smirking right? You want me to remove them?"**

They instantly lost the smirks. **"Smart choice. Anywho, you all know me as Akane, and even talk of me outside. However, only a select few of you know who I really am. Don't be surprised at what you're about to hear, and don't be scared, whether the situation seems to warrant it, or not. You all call me Akane. However, you all know be by my title. The Kyuubi no Kitsune, or Kyuubi no Yoko. Maybe just Kyuubi."**

Everyone that didn't know was sent up a wall. The rest smirked or grinned. "Some of you know pieces of the story 12 years ago. It's time you learn the full story, start to finish. Akane, if you lose your temper this time, you're getting put in the Gravity Cannon." Naruto said, making the Gravity Cannon in both hands.

"**I know, I know. Jeez, you'd think I get a break from that. Well, at least this should be the last time I have to explain it."** Akane said, before explaining everything from start to finish. **"And that's what happened that day. The only reason I'm calm right now is because of what happened last time I tried teasing him, after explaining this. Sasuke and Hinata know about that."**

Sasuke and Hinata nodded, while everyone else looked at them. "It's true, and she was a little scared at that point." Hinata said. "After something like that, I'm not surprised."

Naruto nodded. "Now that you know this, no one can know that you do. If anyone finds out, your goose is cooked, and if I don't, Akane or the ANBU will. Of that, I can guarantee. Still, I wonder who my sensei will be. Probably one of the weaker ones. Though, if it's Kakashi..." He trailed off.

Everyone looked at him. Kushina nodded. "Yeah, that would seem likely. Knowing the council, they'll try and get Sasuke to train under him, as well."

Hikari looked at them. "If that's the case, and Hinata is placed with them, we got ourselves a Second Generation team."

Mikoto nodded. "I know the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio is going to have a Second Generation. Present company confirms that." Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji nod in response to that. "We'd have a repeat of 2 of the best Genin teams in Konoha's history."

They all looked at them. Sasuke asked a question. "How exactly did you all handle the work as a team?"

Kushina, Mikoto and Hikari looked at him, then at each other. "Well, we got by, by helping each other out in our blind spots. Hikari, having the Byakugan, can cover us, and find incoming attacks. Mikoto, with her Sharingan, can see things a lot more clearly than most. She didn't use it that often, and only did during a C-rank or above. I was best with my sword, Uzuhime, and seals. However, I was more versatile than either of them, and could cover almost any attack, close range or long range. It didn't matter. However, this time, it would be different."

They all looked at Kushina. "How so, Kushina?" Mikoto asked.

"My son has a Doujutsu, and I didn't. I never have." Kushina said, making eyes go wide and some faint. "Akane, do you think it would be a good idea to tell them what it is?"

"**We should wake those that fainted up, first. I'm not doing so, for the simple fact that if I did, they'd be in a lot of pain, and Naruto would have a lot more."** Akane said.

Naruto smirked. "I got this." Small clouds appeared over those that had fainted. The clouds started pouring down on them until... Lightning hit them dead in the chest. Luckily, none of the girls had fainted, because everyone that did, had their shirts blown off, for everyone to see.

**-TIME FREEZE-**

List of those that fainted:

Kiba Inuzuka

Chouji Akimichi

Shikamaru Nara

This concludes the list of those that fainted.

**-TIME RESUME-**

Those that got hit were smoking from their chests, which were surprisingly developed. Especially in Shikamaru's case. Naruto was surprised at Shikamaru's build. It wasn't buff, but it was a lot better than most Nara. At least he had muscle. It showed he worked out, and did a bit of Martial Arts. "You been working out, Shikamaru?"

"Don't make a big deal out of it. My family loves relaxing, so once you gave me ideas on how to make a Clone from my Shadow, I started working out, while it relaxed. No one even knows about this yet, and as far as anyone knows, Shadow Possession Clones don't exist. At least they work similar to your Shadow Clones. The only difference I have with mine is that they can hit someone, and Paralyze them for a limited time. After that, it's just like the Shadow Possession Jutsu from my Clan, and there is no range. It comes in handy, and I don't want the other Nara Clan members to know of it right now."

Everyone laughed at him. "What?"

Akane was, surprising, the only that didn't laugh. **"They find it surprising that a Nara clan member had worked out, and even used trickery. They never use tricks, aside from their own Jutsu. In Naruto's case, it's because of that, and you took his advice seriously. I'm surprised myself, honestly. However, I don't think it deserves a laugh."**

"At least there's one somewhat level headed person in here. It's too troublesome to keep up with them. Instead of doing nothing, I did something. Since my family happens to be great strategists, regardless of the fact they're lazy as hell, they have some of the highest IQ in the village. The sad thing is, they never do anything good with it. You could say Naruto helped me be different, and that's that. There's nothing wrong with it, and I know it. Experience says the same thing now."

"**You really did learn a few things useful. That brain of yours is useless if you can't apply what you come up with."**

"I know, but usually, I don't have to come up with something like that. By the way, how did he get the idea of using my own shadow to create a clone?"

"**He's more of a winger, than a planner. He comes up with things on the spot when he can. That's the way all Uzumaki are. It's strange, and call me crazy if you want, but I think I'm starting to like the kid."** Akane said. **"Don't tell him I said that, though. I'm not sure how he truly feels about me, and how he could like me. Sure he wants to get rid of Madara, but after hearing what he's done, anyone would to."**

Shikamaru nodded. "I know that if it comes to that, I'd want to be there. If he's going after him, he's not going alone."

"**He's never truly alone. Remember, I'm sealed within him."**

"Well until you are out of here, I'd count you both as one. I know he's not a demon, but since you and him share a body, you are treated as one. At least, that's I'm looking at it.You're nothing like the adults said, and no one has spoken of you in a few years. Still, I wonder why that is."

"**Let's just say I helped the council catch a major criminal, and helped Naruto execute him on the spot. That was the end of Danzou Shimura. He and Sarutobi have the same ideals, but their ways of achieving it is where they differ."**

"How so?"

"**Danzou was a war hawk. He believed that war could solve any problem. Even I disagree with him. However, everything he did, though he did it for a good reason, it doesn't excuse the crimes he committed. What he's done will not accomplish what he wants, and anything accomplished the wrong way is not worth having. Even we Kitsune have a code."**

Everyone else was beginning to stop laughing. "I figured as much. There are laws anywhere you go, and nothing can change that. Even here."

"**True. The law here is Naruto's word. He doesn't always show it, but the only one that's always here, being me, I know who's the one in control here. As much as I want to get out, I know it's not safe out there. Especially for someone like me."** Akane stated, somewhat disappointed.

Shikamaru grabbed her shoulder. "There's not much to worry about there. By the time word gets out, anyone who hated you before, will suddenly feel sorry for you... Aside from the idealists, and stubborn bastards, but you can ignore them. I figure someone like you would know how to do that."

Akane started tearing up. **"Thank you, I appreciate what you're doing, but right now,"** She wiped her tears away. **"I have a job to do, and I'm not leaving it unfinished. Naruto has been trained by me since he was 4, all so he could help me take down Madara when he comes back."**

"How do you know he will come back?"

"**During our time in Kirigakure, we faced off with Sanbi no Yagura. As he was on his death bed, he told us that Madara had placed both him and the Sanbi under a Genjutsu. The same one I was under, at that. It was then that we figured out he didn't summon me for no particular reason. He's after the Bijuu. Thanks to that, he'll be coming after me some time in the future. I want Naruto to be ready for anything he could throw at us, and for that I trained him myself. Being as I'm the only one that's fought him and is still living."**

Everyone looked at her. Shikamaru was still talking, knowing that people were listening. "Well, you are sealed, but you're still alive."

"**Guilty as charged. Still, I have other reasons for helping him out now. I recently got in contact with my father, who is the only one living that has faced off with the Doujutsu he has. Normally, it's a lot more dangerous to the user than the target, but this time, the side effects are almost non-existent."**

Naruto glared at her. "What do you mean Akane?"

"**I got the message while you were taking the Graduation Exams. Taijutsu Portion. I read over it a few times, and he told me of the original Side Effects. Only one of which has actually shown itself, and that's at the initial activation. His Chakra reserves Double or even Triple. His went between the two, jumping him from Mid-Chuunin at Age 4, to just shy of Kage level when it activated. This is not including my Youki, which he can use as his Chakra. That bumps it up to a least 10 times Kage level. He's got that much Chakra at his disposal."**

Everyone's eyes widened. Kushina looked at Akane. "Why didn't you say anything like that before?"

"**It wasn't necessary. Besides, knowing you, you could figure it out somewhat easily. I already told him that when he activated that Doujutsu, though it was painful, it made his Chakra Reserves skyrocket."**

"She did. I had to work on my control even more than before because of it. Still, I think we can get to the Specifics of the Hunter Eye." Naruto said, confusing everyone but Akane, who nodded, Kushina, and Anko.

"**Well this is how it goes."** Akane went into everything it can do. **"As for the side effects, the original had Blindness as one of them, though he does not. In addition, like the Sharingan it has multiple levels that one can achieve. He's only gotten to the Second level, from what I know. It requires more Chakra to be sent to it in a steady stream in order to maintain its activation. Otherwise, you only need to send Chakra to it once and you've got it active until you remove the Chakra from it."** Akane paused to let it sink in.

"**There is more, however. Activating it is painful as hell the first time around. It knocked him out when he did, too. I also see that it has become a bloodline, therefore his children will gain it, as well."**

Sasuke spoke up here. "What would happen if someone from, say the Uchiha clan came along, and he had kids. What would happen then?"

"**The kids would not gain the Sharingan. Instead, they would activate the Hunter Eye. The same goes with the Byakugan. The Eye color could still be the same, denoting the heir of a Hyuuga, however, the Byakugan will never manifest enough to use it. The same goes for the Uchiha. Same Eye color, different abilities."**

"Umm, Akane?" Hinata said, causing her attention to shift. "Do you think that it's possible that you could help me with a little something I've been trying to work out? I don't have all the possibilities yet, and it's about something that I utterly hate and wish to change."

"**What would this be?"**

"The Caged Bird Seal. I always hated the seal, and if there's anything I truly want to do, it's to get rid of the damn thing. It's dangerous, manipulative, and it gets worse. I have all the information on it, since I'm a Main Branch member, so if you need any information on it to help out, I'd be glad to give it to you." Hinata stated, without a stutter.

"**Caged Bird, huh? Well, I know why it's used, and there is a safer way to keep the Byakugan safe. I know of it, as does Naruto. In fact... Why haven't you put the thing on her, Naruto?"**

"Didn't think it was necessary just yet. Remember, she has a lot more in her than most think. Although, I have a feeling that if something like this were used, she would never have to worry about getting branded with the Cage Bird seal." Naruto replied.

"**Now, what did I tell you about being prepared?"**

"I didn't forget about that. In fact, the only thing keeping me from even placing it now, are personal interests."

Hinata looked at him. "You know of a way, already? Is it possible to get rid of it?" Naruto shook his head. Akane began to speak. **"Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to remove it. The way it is applied, it can only be stopped from being put there in the first place, which the one we came up with does."** Everyone's eyes widened.

"Is it possible to detect this one? I mean, if it uses Chakra, then it's possible they'd be able to spot it." Hinata said, earning a shake from Akane.

"**Not this. It does use Chakra, but the Chakra is not a resident of the seal. The Byakugan can't find it. Chakra is used in the forming of the Envy Seal, as we call it, but after the fact, it's not even visible to the Naked eye, and I highly doubt that the Sharingan and Byakugan can detect it. Sure as hell know the Hunter Eye can't."**

"Again, what the hell do you mean?"

"**Tell me, Naru. Can you see it on me?"**

Naruto shook his head. **"Activate it, and look. Left arm."** He shook his head again. Akane turned to the others. **"See what I mean? The Hunter Eye can't even spot it."**

Shikamaru had another question. "I have one more question right now. Why did you call it an Envy Seal? I mean, Envy is a bad thing to go around with."

"Shikamaru, Envy is short for Environment. That's why the Byakugan can't detect it." Naruto tensed up. "What the hell?"

Everyone looked at him, even Akane though she was smirking. **"I think we're done here. Who wants to try their luck at a Rogue Chuunin?"**

Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata raised their hands. **"Just 3, huh? Well then, let's get going you three. Mizuki seems to be leaving the village, probably trying to get out with that Scroll he's carrying."** Kushina tensed.

"The scroll. About how big is it?"

"**Probably 3 feet long, maybe 6 inches in diameter."**

"That's the Hokage's Forbidden Scroll! We have to stop him!"

Naruto put a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, let us take care of this. We may only be Genin and without an official team, but this could turn out for a good show, and make them think that a Second Generation of your team is possible. When you think about it, it gives some grounds for it." Kushina nodded. "Alright, everyone. It's time we get out of here."

"**I'll be waiting for the next visit."**

They all glowed, minus Akane, and then left the mindscape.

-outside-

Everyone opened their eyes, determination flowing through 6 eyes. "Sasuke, Hinata. Let's move. I already have his current path, and can get us there without much trouble. It's near a safe house I have, so that makes getting to him easy. Remember, we take out his body, but leave his head. The scroll must be intact." Naruto said, earning 2 nods. Hinata grabbed a wrist, while Sasuke grabbed a shoulder. "Hiraishin!" They disappeared with an Orange light, shocking most of the others.

"Show off." was Kushina's only comment. Mikoto and Hikari giggled at her reaction to this. "Hey, Kushi? How many safe houses does he have?" Mikoto asked, earning a shrug. "I don't know. I do know of 3, but none in that path."

Mikoto nodded. "Then, I think I can see where things are going. I think we should let Sarutobi know what's going on."

Kushina nodded. "Hikari?"

"Say no more. The Kunoichi Trio is back!" Hikari raised a fist in the air, pointed between the two others. Kushina and Mikoto did the same, going for a 3-woman fist bump. (A/N: it's when 3 women have their fists connect at one point in the middle. The Same for the 3-man fist bump, but 3 men are doing so.)

The 3 of them left via a Shunshin. The others stayed put, and tried to have some fun. It wasn't easy without Naruto. Those who never realized how lively he was, noticed that without him, things just weren't as fun.

-Hokage's Tower, Roof-

Sarutobi was giving orders to ANBU, when Kushina, Mikoto and Hikari landed right in front of him. "Lord Hokage, there is no need to send ANBU after him. My son, along with Mikoto's son, and Hikari's first daughter are after him as we speak, in a 3 man cell. I know my son is capable, and it could provide the basis for their teams, since they don't have one yet."

Sarutobi looked at her. "You expect me to believe that 3 Genin, fresh out of the Academy, could pull something like this off?"

Mikoto smirked. "No, we don't expect you to believe it. However, from my understanding you know Naruto's abilities. You know full well he's capable of it. This is an effort to show some teamwork, in my opinion. See how well they work together." Hikari and Kushina nodded. Sarutobi looked in thought.

"ANBU, change in plans. Find Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuuga, and watch their progress. If the situation goes bleak, step in. Otherwise, you are simply to observe. Only 2 of you are to go."

"Sir!" Two of them left in a Shunshin.

-With Naruto-

Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata were at a Safe house that Sasuke remembered. "This is the place." Hinata looked at Sasuke. Naruto just smirked. "I know. You and your mother stayed here, at my request. Let's move. He's this way."

The 3 of them jumped into the trees, following Naruto. Hinata activated her Byakugan while Naruto kept his Hunter Eye inactive. Sasuke had yet to unlock his Sharingan. "Naruto-kun?"

"It's not active because I don't really need it at this point. I'm using my Chakra senses, not the Hunter Eye. He has yet to change course, meaning we are on a collision course with him. Be ready for a fight, because he's going to put one up." Naruto said.

Sasuke and Hinata nodded. "Also, if you see me throw any Shuriken or Kunai at him: Get back. Don't want you hit with _it_." Another batch of nods. They knew what he was talking about.

It was only seconds later that Naruto felt the presence of ANBU. "2 ANBU? Is he really sending someone else to... wait a minute. Their path is towards us, not him. Heh, thanks mom."

Sasuke and Hinata smirked. "Let's go guys. Naruto-kun?" Hinata said. They all nodded.

In only 2 minutes, Naruto found that Mizuki was close. He gave a signal to the others, that they immediately recognized. The ANBU, however, didn't. They only knew that he was signaling something to them. They all sped up, causing the ANBU to get a little faster as well. They didn't need to, because Naruto hit Mizuki out the gate, causing him to hit a tree.

"What the hell?" Mizuki yelled.

"Mizuki. I was wondering when you'd show your true colors Mizuki. Stealing the Hokage's Forbidden Scroll is punishable by death. Especially if you were taking it to another village, or a Rogue. This marks you as a Rogue, and thus, we are going to take your head." Naruto said.

Mizuki looked at him. "You brat! You honestly think a Demon can do anything to me?"

Hinata gave Mizuki Kushina's Death Glare, simply oozing Killing Intent. "Don't. You. Dare. Call him a DEMON!" Naruto noticed a sudden rise in her Chakra levels. He found it was far higher than she's ever showed. _'Mizuki is fucked.'_ Was Sasuke's only thought.

"Naruto, Hinata, I figure I should let you two handle him. Hinata is pissed, and Naruto, you have the experience. I'll cover you two from a distance." Sasuke said. Naruto nodded, and added Akane's Chakra to his own, causing another massive rise in Chakra.

-with the ANBU-

Both ANBU were looking at them in shock and awe. _'How do those two have such high Chakra levels? Well, Naruto is a Jinchuuriki, so that's why he does, but Hinata too?'_

"I don't know what's going on, but I think they can handle it." The ANBU with a cat mask on said. The other one had a tiger mask on.

"Tiger, what do you think?" Cat asked.

"If something bad happens, I'll step in and stop them. For now, we wait as ordered." Tiger replied.

-with Mizuki-

Mizuki was staring at them both. Sasuke began making handsigns. "Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke launched it at Mizuki as a first strike. Mizuki managed to dodge it. "Too easy!"

He didn't realize that the others had already circled around him. Naruto hit him over to Hinata, who hit him in a Chakra point with a Chakra enhanced strike. Mizuki ended up coughing up blood. "H-how?"

Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata looked at each other. Sasuke spoke up. "I think the only thing we need is his head. We could let the ANBU take care of the rest."

Naruto shook his head, surprising Mizuki. "We chose to do this, and we're going to finish it. I'll behead him, since he's immobilized from that hit Hinata gave him. Probably hit the Nucleolus Chakra point, am I right?" Hinata nodded. "After that, you burn the body with a Fire Jutsu. We'll take the head, and the scroll to the ANBU so they can take care of him for the rest of the time."

Sasuke and Hinata nodded. Naruto bit his thumb, and put the blood on his right hand. His sword appeared in said hand. He walked up to Mizuki and sliced straight through his neck with ease. Hinata grabbed the head, and Sasuke went through some handsigns. Naruto already had the scroll in hand. "Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"

Mizuki's body was burned to a crisp, leaving nothing but ashes and burn marks. Naruto fixed that by going through a few handsigns himself, and slamming both hands on the ground. "Doton: Environmental Reset!" The entire area, that looked like it was a battlefield for a bit, now looked as if the fight never happened.

"That's better. Let's go." Naruto said.

"Right!" They all nodded and went straight to the ANBU.

-Hokage's office-

Kushina, Mikoto, and Hikari were watching the whole thing, smirking. Sarutobi was a little impressed. "Their teamwork is a lot better than I expected."

The Kunoichi nodded. "If you don't mind my asking, who do you think would be a good candidate for a team as good as this?"

Mikoto and Hikari looked at Kushina. "Kakashi Hatake. Naruto is already familiar with him, and he knows Naruto's abilities better than you do. I also feel that the council will want him to train Sasuke, since he has the Sharingan. As for Hinata, that's just a bit of insurance on all of them. Once Sasuke unlocks his Sharingan, this will be a Doujutsu team, and a Second Generation team. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Sarutobi looked in thought. "I agree. This is obviously a massively good team as it is. Once Sasuke unlocks his Doujutsu, it will easily be a Doujutsu Team. Something that is rare, even in Konoha. In addition for it being a Second Generation team, I think the council will have no choice in the matter. They will probably want it as a full blown team, either way. With Kakashi as a Jounin Sensei, they won't refuse it period. If they do, I'll be surprised."

All of them nodded.

-a few days later, Konoha Academy-

Everyone was there for team placement. The Rookie 9, as they called themselves, were sitting in a group. They knew Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji were going to be on a team, so hey worked on team strategy. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata didn't have much work to do on teamwork, since they had a test run against Mizuki. Kiba, Shino, and Sakura were not that bad, but could still use some work on teamwork.

Iruka came in and announced the teams. Teams 1-6 were nobodies. (A/N: Canon-wise) "Team 7 will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha," Both of them smirked at this. "and Hinata Hyuuga." Hinata smirked, but had a slight blush on her face. "Your Sensei will be Kakashi Hatake."

Naruto tensed at that. "Iruka-sensei, I just have one question about my team." Hinata and Naruto looked at him. "Why is Kakashi our sensei? I mean, I know he's capable, but I already passed him after that trip when I was 5. Plus, he's almost always late." Iruka just looked at him. Sasuke and Hinata were wary of what he was saying, though. Hinata knew he wasn't kidding with that statement.

"These placements are the Orders of Lord Hokage. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."

Naruto smirked. _'Akane, looks like mom had a hand in more than I thought. A family friend as a Sensei? Never thought it would be easy.'_

"_**I know, right? Although, if I'm right about this, your mother convinced the Old coot right after your fight with Mizuki. That would give you massively good grounds to become a team. Also, since Kakashi was trained by your father, and he has the Sharingan, he can also help out Sasuke after his Sharingan awakens. We could help out too, but not as much, or in the same way. As for Hinata, that makes this a Second Generation Squad."**_

_'Got it.'_

Iruka went through Team 9 (A/N: More nobodies). "Team 10 consists of Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chouji Akimichi. Your sensei is Asuma Sarutobi." The rest of the teams had more nobodies.

"Alright, all of you wait here for your Jounin Sensei. They will be here shortly." Iruka said, before he caught Naruto snickering. "What's so funny, Naruto?"

"It's nothing. Just that my sensei is going to be here in 3 hours or so... 2 and a half, if we're lucky." Naruto said, earning glares from most of the Genin. Iruka looked at him suspiciously.

"What makes you say that, then? You do realize what a Jounin is, do you not?"

Naruto nodded. "I just know him personally. That's all I'm going to say on that." Iruka raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off. The Jounin were coming. Asuma came in, as did Kurenai Yuuhi, Sakura, Kiba, and Shino's Jounin Sensei, came in and they all said goodbye to each other for the time being.

Naruto and Sasuke were playing Shogi, while Hinata was watching. The game went on for 2 hours. 30 minutes later, The door slid open. Kakashi stuck his head in, and got hit by the black board eraser in his jewels. Naruto didn't even look at him. "That's what you get for being late, Kakashi-sensei. I could just tell my mother, but that wouldn't do us any good. We need you alive, not dead." Naruto put his hand on the cards they were playing with, and they disappeared.

"Meet me on the roof in 5 minutes. I hate classrooms." Kakashi closed the door. They all smirked.

"Naruto-kun, how did you set that up?" Hinata asked.

"The eraser had a seal on it, to hit Kakashi-sensei's jewels the moment he stuck his head in the door. You could say, it was to get him back for being late. I have other good ways of doing things, and if he's late to the roof, or more than 10 minutes late thanks to that, He's getting something else he wouldn't expect." Naruto said.

"Well, what are waiting for? Let's get going." Sasuke said, earning 2 nods. "Let's go out the window. Don't want people knowing about the Hiraishin still being around. I don't use it unless I have to." They all nodded and jumped out the window, running up the wall to the roof.

-roof, 8 minutes later-

Kakashi came up to the roof. "Well, let's start with introductions, since technically, I don't know you all that well."

"Why don't you go first, Kakashi? I mean, someone has to show us how it's done." Naruto said, raising 3 eyebrows.

"Well, as you know, my name is Kakashi Hatake, I have many likes, and few dislikes. My dreams... they died some time ago. You're first." He pointed to Sasuke.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I have few likes, and there are a lot of things I dislike, but there is one thing I hate more than anything else, and that happens to be Fangirls. I don't have a dream, because, since my Clan's near extinction, I have had most ties destroyed. I have found new ties, since then, and I'm working on making good times with them." He looked at Naruto.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I like many things, and ramen. I dislike fangirls, but utterly hate those that mess with my friends. My dream... is unimportant at this point in time." Kakashi looked at Hinata.

"My name is Hinata Hyuuga. I like a certain blonde, a few other things. I dislike very few things, but utterly hate how the Side Branches of my clan are treated, and those that threaten the one...s I love. My dream is to help Naruto with his dream. It's a tough one, but someone's got to do it, and I'm not letting him do so alone."

Kakashi nodded at all of them. "Well then, since there is normally another Genin Test to go through, I'll be counting that Rogue Incident you helped out with as that, so you'll be starting your missions tomorrow. You have already proved you can work together, and know each other's strengths and weaknesses." They all smirked and nodded.

"Just know that, that little A-rank aside, you will have to go through D-rank missions, since you are still fresh Genin. Rules are rules, and I have to follow them. I'll be working to at least get you a C-rank, for a while. So if I'm late to a team meeting, it's likely because of that until then. Meet at Training Field 7 tomorrow at 1000. I will try not to be late." Kakashi said before he used the Shunshin. Naruto and the others looked at each other.

"Well, that could've gone worse." Naruto said.

"How so?"

"He could've had us take the bell test. He went through it, and I will admit that I went through it already as well. This was before I had come back from my trip. Hiraishin was out of the question, and not to be used. Heck, I couldn't use either of my dad's Jutsu." Naruto said.

Hinata and Sasuke glared at him. "You're not supposed to talk about that, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. My father's side wasn't made public. So you can see why things are better off now, than before." Naruto said. "Still, don't discount the D-ranks. There are more to them than meets the eye. Think of it as exercise, and you'll do better. I mean, I was farming for a week with my bare hands. No tools allowed. It got my hands pretty resistant to pain."

Sasuke looked at him strangely. Hinata just sighed. "You know, he does have point."

Sasuke looked at her with the same face. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it. If you can do things differently than others, wouldn't it mean that by doing the same things others do, but in a way that constitutes training ourselves, it could work out." Hinata said. Naruto smiled at her. 

"That was the point. D-ranks, though boring, can sharpen up our skills, even if we don't need it. Still, weapons won't be used during D-ranks. There is no need for any of them to be used." Naruto said. "I learned that firsthand." They all nodded. "Hinata, since you explained it, where should we go to eat? I am hungry."

"There's a good BBQ restaurant downtown. How about there?" Sasuke and Naruto nodded.

"Good Idea. I've been wanting BBQ for a while now." Sasuke said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Naruto asked, as the others left him in the dust. "Looks like they don't intend on waiting. Oh well." Naruto surrounded himself in Black Energy. "Gravity Teleport." He whispered.

-BBQ restaurant-

Team 10 was there, while Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke walked in. Shikamaru was the only one to notice. "Hey guys. What's the deal with your sensei?" Ino and Chouji looked over to where Shikamaru was looking and found Team 7. Asuma didn't even bother to look at them.

"Well, due to that little incident with that scroll, we're lined up for D-ranks tomorrow." Sasuke said.

It was then that Asuma turned to them. "What do you mean? You were supposed to take the next part tomorrow."

"Well, if you count capturing and eliminating a Rogue Chuunin, while returning the Hokage's Forbidden Scroll, while using teamwork, you can't say it doesn't exist. We know each other's abilities, and can apply several strategies that could work well with our skill sets." Hinata shot back.

Asuma shut up at that, while his Genin Team smirked. "You really should find out more about us. You don't know what we're capable of, and some of us might surprise you." Shikamaru said. "Word of advice from your friendly neighborhood Nara."

Naruto looked at them and his face went into serious mode. Ino caught it. "It's time, isn't it?" Naruto only nodded in response. "Well then, I guess that means we're good to go. Shikamaru?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm gonna have to change my outfit to something more manageable, to my personal skill set." Shikamaru replied. "And Chouji?"

"I'm already good. I still have those techniques Naruto told me about, and I did master them some time ago." Chouji said. Naruto smirked. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Well, remember not to underestimate your opponent. That will lead to your downfall faster than arrogance."

They all nodded. "Okay, Team stuff aside, let's eat." Naruto said, as he sat down in the booth next to them, Sasuke sitting next to him, and Hinata across from Naruto.

-1 hour later-

Team 10 was leaving, and Team 7 was getting ready to go. "Well, see you guys tomorrow. Even though he said he would try, I'm not sure if he will. It's possible, but can't guarantee he will be on time. To be sure, be there about 10 minutes early." Naruto said, earning a round of nods.

-about 1 month later-

Team 7 was being briefed on their next mission. Sarutobi was going off the D-ranks, seeing which one would suit them. So far, nothing. "Lord Hokage, I believe my team should go for a C-rank. It has been a month, and I can tell that they are bored with them. Why not give them a bit of a challenge to get them to settle down?" Kakashi suggested.

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow and smirked. Iruka, who was present had other plans. "Your team is only fresh Genin. A C-rank could get them killed."

"Calm yourself Iruka. Kakashi, you've been after this for what, 3 weeks?" Kakashi nodded. "And now you finally speak up in the briefing room. I believe I can give you a recently added C-rank."

The Genin looked at him with a smile. "Your mission is to protect a Bridge Builder on his way to Wave Country, from bandits and the like." Naruto's smile faded, and went cold. One thought crossed his mind. _'Gato didn't listen, and now he's after Tazuna, I'd wager.'_

"_**Probably not far off either."**_

Sasuke looked at Sarutobi. "Who's the client?"

"Send him in."

An old man came in. "What? They're sending kids, nowadays?" He had a Sake bottle. "I'll bet they're just wet behind the ears."

Naruto didn't even look at him, unlike Hinata and Sasuke. Before they could say anything, Naruto spoke, without turning to him once. "It's been a long time, Tazuna. What was it? 7? 8 years?"

Tazuna's face went from half drunk, to sober and surprised. He knew that voice, and it matched with what he said. "N-Naruto?"

Sasuke, Sakura, and Iruka were surprised that he called him out. Kakashi wasn't the slightest bit surprised. Sarutobi was a tad bit surprised at this outcome. "I think I already know why you need protection, so you don't really have to explain it. Just know that I have your back, regardless. It wouldn't do for me to save your daughter, at only 5 years old, and abandon you when you're life 'could' be in danger." His voice was hesitant when he said could. Sarutobi caught it, but before he could say anything Tazuna spoke up.

"I guess I'm lucky you're here. I'm not sure I'd trust anyone else around here, other than Kakashi and your mother. I just didn't expect you this early."

Naruto smirked. "Well, you don't have one of us here. You got 2." He pointed a thumb at Kakashi. "Even as a Genin, he's still my sensei. Ironic when I think about it." Tazuna looked at him. "Well, I know they can do a good job with these two on board. I mean, Naruto is one of the best I know."

Kakashi looked at the team. "Alright, be at the gate in 2 hours. Pack up for a few weeks, because it's a 3 day trip to Wave. I'll be looking after Tazuna until then."

Naruto shook his head. "I don't think so. I need to discuss a few things with Tazuna before anything else happens. Catch up, you know?" Kakashi looked at him and saw another thing on his mind. He didn't call him on it.

"Let's go Tazuna." Naruto and Tazuna left his team behind.

-an hour later, with Naruto-

"So let me get this straight. A few days after we left Wave, Gato started things back up, you're trying to build a bridge to free Wave Country, and now he's after your head because of it. Am I correct so far?" Naruto asked.

"That's it in a nutshell. What do you think I should do? After Kaiza died, it wasn't easy on the village. Without you, Inari's gone silent and solo. He needs to get over the past, and look to the future. I mention your name, and he breaks down immediately."

Naruto just looked serious. "I'm gonna kill that bastard." Tazuna looked at him scared.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Before I left, right after Kaiza was executed, I sent a Shadow Clone after Gato and issued my ultimatum. If he didn't stop what he was doing to Wave, and I found out, I was going to find him, and I was going to kill him. Well, he didn't stop. I heard about it. Now he's gonna die. I'm gonna take care of it personally. However, not as Naruto. I'm sure you heard about The Kitsune Warrior appearing near Kirigakure, did you not?"

Tazuna nodded. "I take it that was you?" A nod. "Well then, I'm not surprised if you issued a warning like that to him right before you left."

"If you see me put on a mask similar to a fox, that means I'm dead serious. My entire team knows about it already, and some of my more spectacular Jutsu. Most of which I didn't know when I was in Wave." Naruto said, earning a nod.

"Well, I'm done with what I got. What about you? How are things on your end?"

-Konoha East Gate-

Kakashi was on time, surprisingly. Sasuke and Hinata were already there. Naruto was missing, and it was almost time. "Where is he?" Sasuke asked, getting impatient.

"Probably had a lot to talk about. It's been almost 8 years since they last saw each other." Kakashi said. "Well, here they come. And not a minute too soon."

Sasuke and Hinata looked at him. "What exactly did you guys talk about?"

"I guess we'll explain when the time comes. Although, it was mainly family and our lives since we last saw each other." Naruto said.

They nodded, knowing he wouldn't explain until that time came.

"Alright, let's go!" They walked out the Gate, Tazuna in the middle of a Delta Formation.

00000x00000

Chapter 6 Complete.

So you know, asking for reviews is just a force of habit for a writer. I'll admit I'm not much of a writer, but typing things up calms my nerves a ton.

With the Paperwork Influx at it's 3rd shot, I'm quite stressed out. This helps quite a bit. Type just to type, or for a reason you can't think of. You'll find you can do a lot better than you could otherwise. At least, that was the case with me.

By the way, I haven't posted this story yet, at the time I'm typing this up. First chapter hasn't even been posted before I finished this chapter.

If that's not proof I'm just typing to type, I don't know what is.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto/Shippuuden.

**Chapter 7**

Team 7 and Tazuna had just left Konoha towards Wave. Naruto was on high alert, and the only one who noticed was Kakashi. Hinata only guess he was, because she never saw him on high alert. Not once. Kakashi decide to walk up to Naruto. "Naruto, why?"

"_He_ didn't heed my warning. _He_ is after Tazuna. I wouldn't be surprised if this mission went from C-rank to A-rank in a heartbeat." Naruto whispered, though his tone was the same he used when making a threat. It meant he was dead serious about what he was saying.

Kakashi took a moment to figure out what he said, when he remember what he said on the boat.

-Flashback-

_Kushina and Kakashi looked at him with widened eyes. "I don't appreciate the fact he went and killed someone who had their heart in the right place, and to make up for me not doing anything I gave him an Ultimatum. That was it, and if I find out he didn't, I will find him, and I will kill him. Simple as that."_

-Flashback end-

Kakashi understood what he meant at that point. "Well, we can't up the rank until something happens. Until then, this is considered a C-rank." Naruto nodded.

"I was expecting that from you."

They continued walking, and Hinata was the only one who heard the conversation. She smirked, and looked at Sasuke. He caught the smirk from the corner of his eye. She mouthed the words, "this is an A-rank".

Sasuke started to smirk himself. Kakashi noticed that they all went on high alert, but kept it hidden. They walked past a puddle, and Naruto tensed when he did. They all saw it, and Kakashi dropped his guard for a bit. Hinata noticed, and got ready for a fight. Naruto was already ready. Sasuke knew he wouldn't be as good as the others, but he could help.

That was when two beings came out of a puddle, and went straight for Kakashi. They wrapped a chain around him and squeezed him to the breaking point.

"Hinata! Sasuke! 32D!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke went for the chain with a Shuriken, and impacted it against a tree. He followed up with a Kunai, and it went through the hole of the Shuriken. Naruto went for a Gravity Cannon and knocked one back, while Hinata went for an Air Palm, as taught by Naruto.

They were both swung around the tree, unable to sever the chain before they knew what happened.

Naruto had calmed down a bit. "Demon Brothers. Kirigakure Rogues. I should've known he wanted you dead this badly. They are Chuunin level."

Sasuke and Hinata looked at him. "What are you saying?"

"Kakashi-sensei, I think it's time this mission goes straight to A-rank. Bounties will have to suffice for what they can't cover themselves... If the bounties aren't enough, we'll take the rest from Gato when he's dead." Naruto said, before Kakashi came out of a bush.

"Well, this mission is off the scope. Tazuna lied to us, so unless we decided to keep going, we're heading back. Unfortunately, that would cause problems with Kushina, and that never ends well. So, we're continuing the mission off the scope, as an A-rank." Kakashi said. Everyone tensed at the part about Kushina, even Tazuna.

Naruto just smirked. His mom came in handy, even when she wasn't there. _'And that's why she's a great mom.'_

"_**True. Although, if she were my mother, I'd freak."**_

_'I don't even want to know.'_

"_**Good, because I wasn't going to say anything on that subject."**_

Naruto stopped talking to Akane, and they continued walking.

-2 days later-

They reached a boat, and got on. Naruto had sent scouts ahead as The Kitsune Warrior. He left his mask off himself when he did so. That way, he wouldn't cause suspicion.

They reached the bridge and Hinata was impressed. Sasuke looked indifferent, but was a little impressed himself. Naruto wasn't surprised one bit, and neither was Kakashi. Naruto did comment on it. "You know, Tazuna. You probably could have made it a bit bigger. I know you could have with your skills."

Tazuna grabbed his head in a Naruto-ish fashion. "Yeah, about that. We don't have the money to go any bigger, and this bridge is the hope of our country. So, yeah. With my skills I could, but with the resources, I couldn't."

Naruto nodded. He understood the situation perfectly. The rest of the boat ride was silent. When the landed, Naruto dispelled his Shadow Clones. "Damn. 2 others, one of which is a Hunter-nin from Kiri. The other has a Zanbato on his back."

Kakashi looked at him and nodded. Naruto tensed. "Get down!" Kakashi got Tazuna to the ground, while Sasuke and Hinata dove. Naruto jumped over it, allowing it to knick his right hand. Causing a sword to appear in that same hand. It was the same one as when he beheaded Mizuki, and killed the Yondaime Mizukage. His left hand flew over his face, making a fox mask. All this happened in a few seconds. He landed shortly afterwards, the Zanbato hitting a Tree. Someone standing on top of it.

Kitsune, mask on, looked at him. "Zabuza Momochi. And I thought you were loyal to Mei-chan."

The man standing on the Zanbato looked at him. "Oh shit. It's you. The Harbringer of Death, the one who took down the Yondaime Mizukage, Sanbi no Yagura, a Jinchuuriki in his own right, on his own. The Kitsune Warrior. Fuck my life."

"Consider it fucked, Zabuza. First let me ask you this: Why did you go Rogue?" Kitsune stated.

Zabuza looked straight at him. "To find you. I didn't know where the hell you were, and regardless of the fact you are an Uzumaki, I wasn't able to find you to train you like I wanted to. More personal than anything else."

"Okay then, head back to Gato, and tell him The Kitsune Warrior has returned with his warning intact."

Zabuza stared at him. "Pardon?"

"He'll know... If you survive." Kitsune said as he went behind Zabuza. "Also, if I found out you made an attempt to kill Mei Terumi, I will not kill you personally. Instead, my mother will. You know full well who that is." He hit the back of Zabuza's neck to knock him out.

The Hunter Ninja nearby had popped up next to Zabuza. "I am sorry I didn't pop in before you did this, however, I saw no need to. You were..." He was cut off by Naruto,. "I know full well you're on his side. He's lucky I already met him before he went Rogue. His reasoning, though childish, makes sense. However, it does not give enough grounds to go Rogue. I am willing to give him another chance, but when he wakes up tell him to give Gato that message."

The Hunter-nin nodded. He took Zabuza's body with him.

Sasuke and Hinata looked at him. "Naruto-kun, are you sure that was a good idea?"

Kitsune shook his head. "If I did, he would have come with us, instead of back to Gato."

Kakashi nodded. "Gato has screwed the pooch. Before we leave, Naruto is going to kill him."

Kitsune shook his head again. "Kitsune is, Naruto isn't. The two of us may be the same, but no one but those here know that." His sword was still out, but before he could put it back in his seal, the 4 foot long katana started to bring pain to Naruto, since his mask had dissolved.

He screamed in pain. Something he hadn't done in a long time. Kakashi ran up to him, but Hinata grabbed him. "Don't interfere with this. He would drop the sword if he wanted to, but something is up with it."

Kakashi and Sasuke looked at her. The former spoke up first. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Akane's Youki is being sent to the Sword, but that's not what I'm worried about, since Akane isn't moving herself. The sword is reacting negatively to the Youki, and in turn is hurting Naruto in the process." Hinata stated, calmly. "As much as I want to scream bloody murder right now, it wouldn't help him out one bit. We should stick around, but we can't move him, or force the sword out of his hands."

Tazuna stared at her. "Why is that?"

"That's because Akane has Youki, not Chakra. Youki is normally harmful to Humans. Having Akane within him since the day he was born has given him some resistance to Youki. Using too much could also kill him, though. That's what I'm worried about."

Sasuke tensed up. He felt something was off about what Hinata had just said. "Wait a minute... I don't think the sword is rejecting the Youki." The others present looked at him. "Maybe the Youki is forcing it to... evolve or something. There is that possibility." Tazuna looked at Sasuke and then at Naruto. He squinted his eyes. When he widened them, he noticed something else. He could see how it was going.

"I don't believe it." Everyone turned to Tazuna. "The Youki, as you call it, isn't just being sent to the blade. It's being absorbed. I don't know how I know, but for some reason, I can just feel it."

Naruto's cries of pain, lowered, and his katana started glowing. As the glow intensified, it expanded. It went from a 4 foot katana to a 7 foot Broadsword, that looked like it was in the shape of a fish outline. (A/N: Think Force Stealer from Final Fantasy 7. That's what it looks like, almost exactly. The only difference is this one is more Orange in color.)

"_Wielder of this blade, speak your name."_ A voice said in Naruto's head.

_'Akane, do you know who said that?'_

"_**It was the sword. Tell it your name out loud."**_

"Naruto Uzumaki." He said, seemingly to no one.

"_Naruto Uzumaki, eh? I will let you in on a little secret. Your Katana has evolved into the form it is now. You know how to listen to your sword, and this will help you out."_

"How so? I don't get what you're saying. And what exactly do I call you? If you evolved from my Uzuto, then surely you have a name yourself, if you're actually talking to me." Everyone looked at him like he had gone crazy... except Hinata. Hinata looked at him, shifted her gaze to his sword, and then back at him.

"_Well, I am similar to what one calls the Force Stealer. In fact, I am a brother sword to it. I found little faith in humans, demons or anything of the like. That was when Gonta of the Fiends told me about you. Speaking of which, he's the reason I came around. That damn Madara is going to be the death of us all if he is not stopped. Anyway, my name has been forgotten, even to me. However, if you wish, you may call me Force Stealer, since we are virtually twin swords. The difference between him and me, is that I'm a lot more picky than he is."_

"Picky, huh? I guess that means you chose to come to me, instead of me having to find you. I doubt you are sure about me, so you want to see for yourself. Am I correct in saying that?" Naruto stated.

"_You are better than I was told, and that's saying something. Yes, that is the case to a T. This evolution was only temporary. If I decide to leave, it will return to its original form. By the way, I already know of the ultimatum you gave Gato, and I agree completely. So until that point, I would suggest you learn how to use my abilities to your advantage. I will go into more detail later."_

_'Well, at least I know I can count on him. My mother did say that the best swords to have on your side are the ones that choose their wielders.'_ Naruto thought.

"_While that is true, that is not why I'm here."_

_'Wait, you can hear my thoughts? That's a strange concept... although I have seen weirder.'_

"_Yeah, I figured as much with Akane being within you. She has changed a bit since I last talked to her."_

"_**You do realize I can hear you, right? I just have my reasons for wanting to stick with him. I'm not going into the details, because if I did, you probably would call it bullshit."**_

"_I see. Well then, I guess things would happen the best the way they are now. I will expect an explanation later on, though."_

_'You'll get it when you do. Akane doesn't like talking about what happened that day, and get's pissed off easily when she does talk about. Not something I like to see, and she knows it. That's another reason I found another use for the Gravity Cannon. Her temper, like my mother's, is deadly, in the most literal sense possible.'_

"_**Ah, shut it."**_

_'You know it's true. Still, I'm glad you taught me the Gravity Cannon. It helps out.'_

"_Oh? And how exactly can you use it? The thing is at least 500 feet long."_

_'Not the way I use it. If you're around when Gato pops out, you'll see it, along with my father's signature Jutsu. He's going to pay for treating this village like trash.'_

"Tazuna, take them to your home. I'll be in the forest for a while. I have to take care of a few things, and then I'll head there. I remember where it is, and tell Inari that I'll be there when I can." Naruto told them.

Kakashi looked at him. He was trying to figure out why he wasn't coming along now. "Kakashi-sensei, you're gonna have to give it up. I'm not saying anything yet, because it isn't set in stone, and can change in an instant." He got several nods.

"Don't go after his head yet. Give him some time to let it sink in that he's screwed." Kakashi said.

"I was planning on it. Also, I gave a shock to Zabuza's nervous system when I hit him. It will go away after about a week. He knows he can't beat me, especially after what I did to Yagura. Why else would he tell me "Fuck My Life"?" Naruto asked, before walking off.

-Tazuna's home, 10 minutes later-

Team 7, minus Naruto, had arrived at the front door. Tazuna opened it. "Tsunami, I'm home, and you'll never believe who they sent." A young woman walked in.

"Welcome back, Father. But what do you mean by... Kakashi, is that you?" Kakashi nodded. "Well, I just wish Naruto came back with you. Inari's been... different. I can't get through to him. I think that Naruto's the only one who can right now." Tsunami said.

The entire team, along with Tazuna smirked. "Tsunami, they came as a group of 4, plus me. The other went into the forest, probably to train himself with his sword. He's after Gato, since he didn't listen 7 years ago."

Tsunami looked at Tazuna, and saw something etched in there. Her eyes widened when she realized it. "Please tell me he's got something to say to Inari. I'm not sure what to do right now."

Tazuna nodded. Just then, and young boy came out with a cold face. He saw Tazuna and smiled. "Grandpa!"

"Inari!" They hugged each other. He then looked at Kakashi's team. "What are you doing here? You're gonna die if you go against Gato."

Sasuke was about to do something, when Hinata held out her arm to stop him. Apparently, she was the level headed one. "If anyone that goes against Gato died, then your Grandfather would be dead already. He's not dead, so that means not everyone that goes against Gato dies. I know for a fact Naruto-kun won't."

Inari looked like he was about to break down. "I wouldn't go for the mental or emotional breakdown. If he saw you like that when he gets here, he might slap you. Trust me, they hurt like hell." Sasuke said, grabbing his cheek.

Inari's eyes widened, but not from fear. It was surprise, shock, and happiness. "Where is he? Why isn't he with you? What happened?" He was energetic now.

"He's training with his sword right now. Something that normally wouldn't help him much, but given the fact it evolved a few minutes ago, he had to get used to it." Kakashi said. "And with that ultimatum right after Kaiza's death, I wouldn't be surprised if he went after Gato right here and now."

A voice came from behind them. "I told you, didn't I? I'm planning on waiting until he gets the news I'm back. He'll get a bit more reckless, and probably fire Zabuza, freeing him from killing Tazuna. From there, I'll kill that "cat", and then wipe out his entire legion of thugs. That's the least I can do for this place."

Everyone turned to the voice, and saw Naruto in a chair. "Inari, Hinata is right. And Sasuke, I wouldn't have hit him. If I did, it would kill him. I'm not about to disrespect Kaiza by killing his son. You remember what he said before he was executed by Gato? Live your life, so you don't have any regrets. Protect what you've got with both arms."

Inari looked ashamed. Naruto continued. "I know you haven't been living up to those words. The last words Kaiza said to you, and yes, I could tell they were for you. He lived that way until the day he died. He wanted you to do the same."

"What else could I do? You just left, and not once did you tell me anything about that." Inari sniffled.

"Because I figured you understood what he was saying at that point. Now that I see you didn't follow through with it, I'm here. You need to get your act together, and stop crying about the past. Time doesn't wait for you, and neither will life. Besides, Gato is going to die before I leave Wave this time. His body is going to be crushed under intense Gravity, leaving no trace of him." Naruto stared at Inari.

"Same room as before, Tsunami?" Kakashi asked, earning a nod.

"I'll be sticking to the roof. It's a better place for me. This place needs a hero, just like Kirigakure did when I went there. Meaning, I'll get some practice in on the lower thugs." Naruto said, as he got up. "Think about what I said, Inari. Remember what Kaiza was like. Be like him. You can do it, you just need the determination." He walked out and jumped to the roof.

Naruto started to meditate, so he could get a more accurate reading about the area. He was finding any threat he could at that point. Hinata came up next to him. "Are you okay? I know what happened back there was a little dangerous."

"Yes." Naruto's eyes were closed. "Right now, I have things to take care of. I'm going to need some live practice with the Force Stealer. I know that my skill with a sword won't matter, if I'm not used to it. That's the reason I'm searching for the lower thugs right now. Practice makes perfect, right?"

"Right." Hinata said, as she sat down. "Naruto, I think we need to talk about something, at least while we're here."

Naruto's eyes opened up. "I was wondering when you were going to tell me what you were hiding. You've been hiding it for maybe a week. I've noticed it for that long." Hinata nodded.

"I just didn't think it would be a good idea to have someone else know what I found. You taught me sealing, but what I found was something not even I could understand, until the day before we left the village for this mission. I realized it was something about Bijuu. Akane is a Bijuu, so maybe she could find out what it is."

Naruto looked directly at her. "Well then, we will wait until after Gato is dead. That way, I don't have to get distracted. Is that fine by you?" Hinata nodded.

"I think it would be a good idea to protect Tazuna and his family in groups of 2. You and me in one team, and Sasuke and Kakashi in the other." Hinata suggested.

Naruto shook his head. "I think it would be better if we went in 3 groups. Kakashi-sensei is good enough on his own. I have a lot more experience than both you and Sasuke. This means that I'll be good enough on my own, as would Kakashi-sensei. The reason you and Sasuke would be paired up is because of the fact that he could awaken his Sharingan at any point. The moment he does, it will make the two of you even more dangerous."

Hinata looked in shock. "W-why?"

"I know you love me, and I do love you. However, this is not a question of love. It's a question of tactics. The majority of what I'll be doing is either training with Force Stealer, or Meditating. During meditation, I'll be looking for anything that has any relation to Gato, along with his hideout. You and Sasuke get along quite well, and I know you wouldn't go after him in any way, shape or form. However, if he unlocks the Sharingan, I'll be able to figure it out easily. The same for when you Activate your Byakugan. There is Chakra flow, and that is something I can detect easily, even when searching out people, or ninja. Kakashi is not as good as I am with that particular skill, and I am second only to my mother. I mean, my ability at sensing the Chakra Flow is beyond that of the Byakugan... No offense."

Hinata shook her head. "None taken, I guess. I'm beginning to think something else could happen. Once Gato finds out that you're protecting Tazuna, he'll be after you."

"The only ones to know who I am outside the team or the Rookie 9, are in this house, part of the village Council, and Mei Terumi. She kinda figured it out on her own, though. I'm not worried either. I can handle Kage level opponents, and have done so before. What makes it worse, I was only 5 then. I'm 12 now, and I can only get stronger. That's something I've learned, if not in lessons, in experience." Naruto said.

Hinata nodded. "So, me and Sasuke will be one group, and work on protecting the family, or Tazuna. Kakashi-sensei will be doing the same solo, and you'll be working on your own. Am I right so far?"

Naruto nodded. Hinata slapped him. As he rubbed his cheek he said, "What was that for?"

"You know I love you, and I know you love me. So why not choose the happiness you'd get from working with me?" Hinata was a little angry, and Naruto realized it.

His mind searched for something to say, and he figured, _'Guess I'll wing it.'_ "Hinata, I know that if I stuck with you I'd be happier. However, I have the experience needed for something like this. You don't, and neither does Sasuke. You're gonna need the strength in numbers. Besides, you know I've got the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and I can make upwards of 1,500 with ease, and not feel tired. Kakashi-sensei also has more experience than I do. However, if you find yourself in a situation you can't handle on your own, someone needs to be there, and I'm thinking about how to do that, even if I'm training."

Hinata was staring at his eyes. "You don't know what to really say at this point, so you're winging it, huh?"

"Kinda, but it is the truth. I'm looking for a way to make it work the way it should, but nothings coming to mind." Naruto replied, inwardly cringing. Hinata wasn't mad anymore. She knew what was going on. He didn't like it either, but he had to do it like this. An idea came to her. "Is it possible to put the Hiraishin seal on a piece of paper and you can teleport to me through it?"

Naruto facepalmed. "You didn't even think of that, did you?" Naruto shook his head. "You know, you may have experience, and you might be smart, but you're utterly clueless when it comes to relationships."

"_**Naru, get her in here. I got something to say on this. She may not like it, but it's the truth on the matter."**_

_'Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this?_

"_**Because you probably won't."**_

"Hinata, Akane has a few things to say to you, but she won't say anything to me." Naruto said, earning a frown, and a raised eyebrow from her. She still nodded, and they both started to meditate.

-Mindscape-

Naruto and Hinata were right in front of Akane. **"Hinata, I can almost guarantee that Naruto won't like this bit of information, but he inherited his cluelessness from his father."**

Naruto just gaped at her. Hinata looked in thought. **"You may not believe me, but it's true. Minato was so clueless of his feelings for Kushina until she was about to leave him. I still don't get how the hell it happened, and I hoped he wouldn't be so damn dense, but that just wasn't the case."**

"I'd have to ask Kushina-san on that bit of info, but it would make sense. By the way, what really happened here with Naruto-kun? I mean, he did say he met them before, but I didn't think something like this would have happened."

"**Naru, it would probably be a good idea for you to work on your training with Force Stealer in here. You may not gain the physical ability, but you will have the muscle memorization. That should help a bit."**

Naruto looked at Akane, with a strange look, but nodded and walked off. Hinata stuck around and sat next to Akane. "What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"**I said part of it. As for your question, he was here when Kaiza died. You can ask Tsunami what he did to save her. Only myself and Naruto were aware of what he said to Gato before he left. Even though it was only a Shadow Clone."**

"So, Gato is the reason Kaiza died. Inari suffered a lot from his death, and with Naruto leaving, it wasn't a good day for him, was it?"

"**I would imagine not. Since Naruto used a Shadow Clone, and he gave me access to his memories, I found out exactly what he was going to do if Gato didn't stop there. He didn't, and I can honestly say, he's out for blood. He's able to remain calm and collected, and that's partially my fault. However, even the best of humans snap. I fear one day he will, and that will be his death. If for some reason, he doesn't before he dies, he would have a stronger Will than anyone I've ever seen in my life. And that's saying something. I know that even Deities would have a hard time swaying his will, but if my theory is correct, and so far it has, not even they can sway him."**

Hinata looked at her with a different look than before. She was confused. **"I see you are confused at that. Allow me to explain, then. How much willpower would it take to resist the word of a Deity?"**

"A lot, I would imagine."

"**Try an insanely large amount, not seen anywhere, even in the Uzumaki Clan. Their Stubbornness is, or was, their best strength, and greatest weakness. Their will stems from that. His will is far beyond anything I've seen in a human."**

Hinata looked at her, any emotions running through her head gone. "I know he has more will than a lot of people, but for you to not see anything like that in a Human? That's just not natural... I kind of like it."

"**I wasn't sure you would. However, you still liked him, even when you found out about me, so I can't say I'm surprised. Most humans hate me, and in turn, hate him. They don't show it anymore, thanks to Kushina, but they still hate him."**

"I know. I've still been hearing rumors about him in the village. Some of which, though only recently, I know are true. The rest of which, I'm either not sure, or don't believe for a second. A few people went to the hospital thanks to me." Hinata said. "They say something bad about Naruto-kun, and I'm around, their in the hospital for a few days. If not, they lost their sanity."

"**Women can be so devious." **Akane giggled. **"That aside, I'm glad you're on his side. He probably wouldn't admit it, but he seriously loves you. Just like your mother tried getting his father, you're after him. Can't say that's genetic, but I can't deny it seems more than coincidence."**

Hinata closed her eyes. "She told me about that, and honestly, I thought the same thing. I asked myself several times if the reason I want him, was because my mother wanted his father. I still don't know the answer, but I'm willing to do anything I can to find out for myself. I know he doesn't like fangirls, so I've been trying to avoid that, but I just don't know what to do."

Akane sighed. **"At this point, if you're not a fangirl in his eyes, just keep doing what you're doing. You've already got his heart, even if he doesn't realize how much, and he doesn't. I know one thing for sure. His feelings for you are strong. Stronger than they are for his mother. The decision to split you apart was not his first decision. In fact, it was the third."**

Hinata gaped. **"Don't be so surprised. However, one day, I hope you will be able to use a gift I'll be giving you one day. Whether it be through him, or on my own, I don't know."**

"G-gift? What do you want to give me?" Hinata asked, her stutter returning somewhat.

"**It's something that should help you out immensely. However, I think I can give you part of it now."**

Hinata just looked at her expectantly. **"This gift, can be a curse, or a blessing. Which one it is, I can't say for sure. However, it will hurt like hell. I can promise you that."**

"Then why give it to me?"

"**Because one day, I feel you will need it. If something happens, and Madara comes after you, it will be a last resort, but you'll be safe for a while. This is my own piece, and Naruto doesn't know about it. Right now, you won't have much control over it, and it will only activate under 2 conditions. One: your life is in danger. Two: Your rage builds up too much, and you explode. Both must be met, and you must realize the first."**

"What will happen then?"

"**I can't guarantee the target of your anger will survive. However, even if it does happen, you must not let it control you. I can give you a small portion of my Youki, and you could use it as your own Chakra. It's not even at the level of 1-tail, which is far less than 1/9th of my full strength. I won't lose much, but what you get will only grow with time. Do you know what angers you the most?"**

Hinata nodded. "The caged bird seal, which hasn't changed, and those who try to kill or threaten Naruto-kun. Other than that, nothing really angers me." Akane nodded at this, but Hinata motioned her to move closer. She whispered something into Akane's ear, and Akane was visibly shocked.

"**I take it you don't want him knowing about that yet, do you?"**

"Not yet, but one day, hopefully. Also, not many people know this, but I know of another Jinchuuriki in the area. Well, he was one last time I saw. He had the 4-tails, and told me he was just a wandering traveler. I saw otherwise, since his Chakra was similar to Naruto-kun's."

"**The 4-tails. That damn Lava Monkey still owes me some money."**

Hinata cocked her head, but shrugged. "Anyway, he said that he wanders aimlessly. And this was before I actually met up with Naruto-kun. It wasn't until later that I realized he had about half of your Youki."

"**That would be about right. Still, from what I remember, Naruto's mother was one of those who could summon them. I'm not sure right now if he wants Yoko/Kitsune, Lava Monkey, Archfiends, or Toads."**

"Toads?"

"**His father signed with the Toads. His mother signed with the Lava Monkeys. He has summoned an Archfiend already, and then there's me. He already knows of this, and he has yet to decide which one he wants. His mother already knows of the Dilemma, and it doesn't help that Tsunade wants him to go for Slugs."**

"It's a tough choice. If I were him, I'd go with the Kitsune/Yoko, but that's just me." Hinata shrugged.

"**Mind if I ask why?"**

"You're the reason. People think of you as cruel and vicious, even though you're actually calm and nice. That kind of deception is good, and it would be something that proves that I care for Naruto, regardless of who he is, or what he is."

"**Explain."**

"I don't really care what he's got in him, or what he can really do. I know he's strong, but he doesn't throw around his power. In fact, he tries to hide it. What's more is, he's not blinded by power, and doesn't give in to the Darkness. He's the light of everything I hold dear, and nothing can change that."

Akane smirked. **"I see you finally answered your own question."**

Hinata looked at her, seeing the smirk. "What do you mean?"

"She means a question you either ask yourself repeatedly, or asked her." Naruto said, walking up to them.

"**It's the former, Naru."**

Naruto nodded. "I'm glad you care for me that much. I am a little surprised, but it's not gonna keep me from wanting to protect you any way I can. I have a long way to go to reach my goal, and I know I won't be able to do so easily."

"**By the way, you did think about finding a way to use the Hiraishin without use of seals. I think I've found something interesting. I'll fill you in on it later. We won't be able to do so easily, and the consequences could be drastic, so I'll only say it when I know it could be safe. I don't want you dying before you have to, and if that means merging my soul with yours, I'll do that. However, that won't be easy, either."**

They both nodded. "Hinata, I'll be meditating in here for a while. I'll need to cool my head if I want to stay sane in a fight. In the meantime, let the others know about the cycles I came up with. I know you don't like them, and neither do I, but it's the best chance we have, in case someone else comes along. Also, if you run into Zabuza again, flare your chakra. I'll know, and I'll come straight to you. Check my pouch, and take one of the Chakra infused Shuriken. Keep it with you at all times, and I'll be there when you flare your Chakra. Deal?"

"Deal." Hinata replied. "Just don't hurt yourself, Naruto-kun."

"**He won't. I'll make sure of that."** Akane said, shifting her gaze to him.

Hinata nodded and left the mindscape. **"Get to work, Naruto. It won't be easy for you to maintain sanity with your Anger."**

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Naruto went into the field and started to meditate.

_**'I still wonder about him. He's different, but I think that's Gato's doing.'**_

-2 days later-

Hinata was on the bridge, as she was supposed to be. She had taken care of a few thugs on the way, but nothing that needed Naruto's help.

Naruto was in the forest training with Force Stealer. _"You're wearing yourself out. You're thinking too much into your movements."_

"I know, but it's not easy using an evolved sword. The main problem is the change in weight and size. Once I can accommodate that, I'll be fine for the most part."

"_You obviously know why you are training with me."_

"Yeah. I need to get used to the new weight and size, and only then can I do what I want to."

"_You even know the basics of adaptation. Why aren't you using them?"_

"I adapt best in a fight. I'm a winger, mainly. I think on the spot, but if I'm not used to the weapon I'm using, my skill with said weapon is useless... Wait, why didn't I think of that before?" He stuck Force Stealer in the ground, and moved his hands into the original Cross seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" About 100 Narutos appeared, while the original pulled out Force Stealer.

"_Why do this?"_

"Think about it. I adapt quickly, and learn on the fly. If I use it in somewhat real combat, that should help me out a bit."

"_Good. You're actually thinking on how to train."_

"Begin!" The Original yelled. 3 came up at a time. When one went down, another took its place. He managed to take them out, thinking less and less on using the blade, and more on dodging and countering. After a while, his thoughts stopped almost completely, and Force Stealer noticed. He didn't call him on it until after he was done.

"_I must say, I'm impressed. You learn better in practical application than in theory."_

"Yet another reason why I'm considered a winger." Naruto was panting a bit, so he sat down. "I think I need a break for a bit. Besides, Haku's coming."

"_I really like you kid. I'm glad I stuck around. However, I'll seal myself into your hand with the previous seal. Later."_ Force Stealer went poof, and the seal reappeared.

Haku walked into the area. "So, what are you doing out here?"

"Training. I have to get better if I'm going to complete my task. I can't do that if I don't train. Luckily, I just now sat down for a break. Care to join me?"

Haku nodded and sat down next to him. "We let Gato know of your little warning. Needless to say, he was scared shitless."

"Not surprised." Naruto replied.

"By the way, what did you mean by your task? Gato is not that much of a threat to you is he?" Haku asked.

"I wasn't talking about Gato. I'm talking about the reason Kitsune Warrior was born. At least, one of the reasons."

"There is more than one?"

"Yeah. One is to hide my identity from those who actually hate me, and yes there are a lot of people back home who do. Kitsune Warrior is an alias I came up with, thanks to the reason they hate me. Or to be more precise, said reason came up with it." Naruto replied.

"What else? Or should I even bother to know?"

"It is to kill someone in particular. Not many know of my status of Kitsune Warrior, so I'd advise you keep that information a secret."

"Why do you wish to kill someone?"

"A few reasons. The biggest one is he is the reason behind the reason people hate me, if that makes any sense."

Haku was in thought. "So, this man caused an event, which led to another event, which probably led to you becoming a Jinchuuriki, or something. Right?"

Naruto looked at the guy. "You know, you're good."

"Well, I am highly observant. I can't really say you have yet to take a life. Zabuza can't say that either. In fact, I think he's actually afraid of you."

"Wouldn't be surprised. After all, I did take on a fully possessed Jinchuuriki and win. Sure it was the Sanbi, but hey, I was 5." Naruto said, smiling. "What about you?"

"I'm not really for taking lives. I'm more of a last resort for him, being his current apprentice. Although, I think that he believes I surpassed him." Haku replied.

"Given your Chakra Levels, I'd say your almost even. At least from back then. He has increased his a bit since then, but not by much. By the way, how, exactly did Gato react when you told him?"

-Flashback-

_Zabuza was in a bed, resting up. A short pudgy man came in. "So, the Demon of the Hidden Mist is defeated? You're just a false advertiser."_

"_You weren't there, Gato. You have no idea who they are, but I have a feeling one of them, you do know." Zabuza got out._

"_Enlighten me, then. This should be somewhat good." Gato replied._

"_The Kitsune Warrior was among them." Gato paled. "Aside from that, Sharingan no Kakashi was there. That makes an A-rank shinobi, and a SS-rank shinobi. Why he even let me live is a mystery in itself."_

"_He did notice that Zabuza was working for you. He did give me a warning for you. He said that he's back, with his warning intact. Do you know what that means?" Haku asked._

"_You're going to need more than this to take that bastard down." Gato said, surprising Zabuza. "I'll be looking for someone else to help you out in this. At least try to get along. Tazuna has gone to Second Priority. That Kitsune Bastard is Top Priority."_

-Flashback KAI!- 

"I take it you rattled him badly back with your little warning?" Haku asked.

"Have you found out who it was yet?" Naruto asked. Haku shook his head. "Figures. I doubt that he would go after me on his own. After all, I did take down a lot of powerful people. He knows of my reputation, and he'd need at least a S-rank Shinobi to take me down alongside Zabuza, and even then it's likely that they wouldn't win. I'm more dangerous now than I was against Yagura, and even then I was holding back. Granted, I was weakened with both summons, but you get the idea."

"Summons?"

"I'm not going into it. If you want an explanation about that particular fight, ask Zabuza. Near as I can figure, he was watching. Just know that I have no comments to make on the day. Aside from the fact I came up with the plan myself... with Akane, which he would say is the fox that was there." Naruto said. "If you'll excuse me, I have to train. You want the story of how I defeated Sanbi no Yagura, ask Zabuza. He should know."

Haku nodded. "By the way, you're not going to believe this, but I'm actually a girl."

Naruto stood stock still. _'Did not see that coming.'_

"_**And you're somehow okay with that?"**_

_'Oddly enough, yeah. I'm not going to chase her around if that's what you're thinking.'_

"_**Didn't say you were."**_

_'You didn't say I wasn't either.'_

"_**Touche."**_

"Uh, Naruto?" Haku asked.

"Sorry. Spaced out for a second. That last comment of yours was a little surprising. Quick question. Did you and Zabuza... you know..."

Haku blushed deep red. "N-no. W-why would you think that?" Haku was stuttering. Naruto noticed she was embarrassed.

"You haven't, but you want to, don't you?" Haku took that moment to fall on her back with a nosebleed. _'Wow, didn't take her for a pervert.'_

"_**What? You think girls can't be perverts?"**_

_'Never said that. Anko is a bit of a pervert herself, even though she won't admit it.'_

"_**So you noticed."**_

_'Yeah, but she's never like that with me. For that, I'm glad.'_

"_**Let's get to a different section of the forest, and continue to train."**_

_'Sure thing. But first, I think some protection is in order.'_

"_**Come again?"**_

_'You'll see.'_

3 minutes later, Naruto was leaving Haku, who was still out of it. There were four seals on trees inducing a Genjutsu and 3 barriers. Haku wasn't able to be noticed the moment that Naruto left the barriers.

_'Alright, time to find another spot.'_

"_**About time."**_

_'You want something from me, don't you?'_

"_**Yes, but you wouldn't want to give it. You care for Hinata too much to do that with me."**_

_'You're right, but right now... You know what? I think I can oblige.'_

"_**You mean it?"** _Akane was suddenly happy.

_'As long as you don't mention it to her, she'll never know.'_

-a few days later-

Haku and Zabuza were completely rested up. They were waiting for the new help that was supposed to arrive. A man in a Black Cloak with Red clouds on it came in. The man seemed to have Onyx eyes, and Raven colored hair. "So, your the one that's supposed to help us?"

"Yes." The man replied.

"You got a name, brat?" Zabuza asked.

"Yes."

"Can you answer with more than one syllable?"

"Maybe."

Gato came in. "Itachi, you better get along with him. That Kitsune Warrior is a mess waiting to happen."

"The Kitsune Warrior, eh? You didn't say anything about him being the target." Itachi replied.

"You already know who he is, huh?"

"Not who, but what. And that very what is something that my organization is after. However, I need him Mangled and unconscious. Not dead." Itachi replied.

"Whatever. As long as he is dead when your done with him, I've got no problems." Gato said, as he walked out.

"So, your name is Itachi, huh? Surname is Uchiha?" Zabuza asked, to which a nod was his answer.

"That's strange. An Uchiha is guarding the Secondary target, along with Kitsune Warrior." Zabuza stated.

"Male or female?"

"Does it matter?"

"Male means my brother. Female means my mother, both of whom I couldn't find that night." Itachi stated.

"Well, well. Even the biggest rogues have quirks. Yours is that you failed what you were doing."

Haku stepped up to him. "It was a male. There is another blonde male among them. Another is a Hyuuga. This is obvious by her eyes. Among them is Sharingan Kakashi."

Itachi looked at Haku. "The blonde one is my target. The others are useless to me."

Haku and Zabuza looked at him, then at each other. They nodded. Haku left in a Shunshin. "Where is she going?"

"Out. She does that. Why? I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. I doubt she wants to die a virgin, as I'm guessing you are." Zabuza said.

"Hn."

"Well I'll be. You really need to get yourself laid." Zabuza stated.

"Don't even think about it."

-with Naruto-

Naruto noticed that Haku was coming back. "So, Haku. What's the news?"

"The new arrival is here. He is specifically after you. As to why, I don't know." Haku replied, to which, Naruto tensed.

"Black Cloak? Red Clouds on it?"

"Yes."

"Well, back to the drawing board." Haku was surprised at his response. "What's his name? Or did he even tell you?"

"Gato called him Itachi. He is an Uchiha." Naruto tensed up. "He is not a true criminal as most believe. His reason for exterminating his clan was on orders. I know this, because his clan was planning a coup detat. He was ordered to stop it. His brother is here, as well. This won't end good. Not by a longshot."

"What should I tell Zabuza?"

"Give us 3 days, and be at the bridge. Bring Itachi with you." Haku stared at him. He was now looking at her with determination in his eyes. "He will see things my way."

Haku nodded. "Anything else I should tell him?"

"Yeah. Be prepared to face off with a partially pissed off Jinchuuriki." Naruto said. "Now get lost. I have things to take care of."

Haku raised an eyebrow, but walked off. Naruto had shunshin'ed out himself.

-Tazuna's place, that evening-

Team 7 was at the table, with Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari.

"Kakashi, we've got more problems ahead." Naruto said.

"What could be worse than Zabuza at this point?" Hinata asked.

"Akatsuki." Kakashi, Hinata and Sasuke went pale. They heard of the name, and knew that they'd be after Naruto.

"Do you know who?" Hinata asked.

"The brother of one here." Sasuke tensed up. "No... He couldn't be..."

"He is. Gato hired him, and now he's after Kitsune. Itachi knows that Kitsune is a Jinchuuriki. I'm willing to bet he knows of which one as well." Naruto stated.

"By the way, Haku did tell me the guy seriously needs to get laid." Everyone present sweatdropped. "Her words, not mine. She also said she was a virgin herself. That makes me more than a little suspicious, don't you think?"

Sasuke paled. "I don't even want to know." He shook off any fear he had. "If Itachi is here, he's obviously going after Tazuna."

Naruto shook his head. "The first priority has been changed. As to why, I think Gato's looked at his options, and thinks that I'm a bigger threat than Tazuna."

Everyone stared at him and began wondering how much of a threat he truly is to Gato. "Itachi will need me alive if he wants to take Akane out of me." Some of them sighed in relief. "Thing is, I know the perfect way to stop him from using any of his Sharingan Techniques. Heck, even make the fight between me and him one-sided."

Sasuke's eyes went wide. "You're just going to let him kill you?"

Naruto chuckled darkly. His voice suddenly went deeper. **"There is no problem here."** The new voice, only team 7 recognized. It was Akane. **"I did teach him a Technique, not a Jutsu that will force an opponent into his mindscape, thus forcing him into his own mindscape. Itachi himself will not be able to leave unless Naruto and myself are dead. Meaning his efforts will be useless."**

Hinata and Sasuke were borderline ready to faint. Sasuke even more than Hinata. Kakashi just stared at him. "Akane, what the hell do you mean?"

"**Ask Hinata what happens to her Byakugan when she tries to activate it in his mindscape. The same would happen to a Sharingan user."** Akane paused, so Hinata could speak.

"I activate it, and it shuts off instantly. I can't even see anything with it before it shuts off."

"**Exactly. And unless he knows how to anticipate moves from a split second image, nothing will work in his favor. What's more is, Naruto's Chakra levels are virtually limitless in there. The moment he uses any it's automatically back to full. Put simply, while Itachi has his own power source, Naruto's power source is all around him there, so Itachi can run out, and perish forever, while Naruto has a limitless supply of Chakra to use, even if he doesn't draw on mine. The downside to this particular technique is that, even though Itachi's full body is brought in there, Naruto's body will stay, making him collapse. This leaves him vulnerable to outside attack, and death."**

"That should be considered a Forbidden Jutsu." Kakashi stated.

"**Not when it isn't a Jutsu in the first place. A Jutsu uses Chakra. This uses only one portion of chakra, not Chakra period. It is pure Spiritual Energy that he uses. This is the reason it cannot be called a Jutsu. At least, in my opinion."**

Everyone stared at him. Hinata sighed at this. "Akane, what do you think the possibility of Naruto-kun beating Itachi out here is?"

"**Honestly? Less than 1% if he doesn't activate that Sharingan of his. In his mindscape, the odds of him winning against Itachi is far above 99%, but not quite a completely decided fight. That's all I can really say on that."**

Sasuke and Hinata nodded. "It makes sense." Kakashi stated. "Being in his mindscape basically makes it a home-field advantage. That is one advantage that Itachi could never get."

Everyone stared at Kakashi. Tazuna spoke first. "Kakashi, what do you mean by that?"

"**Naruto and Itachi are both from the same village. For that reason, there is no real home-field advantage in this realm. However,"** Kyuubi paused. **"In a mindscape, the owner of the mindscape has full control over it, and has a virtually limitless supply of energy, Chakra, and the like. The only way Itachi could take him down, as far as I can tell, is if Naruto makes too many mistakes. That's not likely."**

Everyone nodded. "So, the main thing we have to worry about is if Zabuza decides to take advantage of his limp body? That's a little much isn't it?" Kakashi asked.

"**True as that is, a ninja must do anything they can to succeed. Hinata, you remember that little gift I gave you?"** She nodded, confusing the others. **"That gift will come in handy here. I would rather explain it to you in private, but at this point, I don't think it would be a good idea. Empathy and telepathy are two of the most noticeable features, but only with me and Naruto. Remember that, and you'll be good."**

"Wait, what do you mean only with you and Naruto?" Sasuke asked, not really caring what else was going on, instead of what the gift is.

"I think I could tell you what the gift was, but it was only part of it. She didn't explain the rest of it, so I don't know much about it. Now I know something about this, and I think I can understand why she gave it to me in the first place." Hinata replied, a blush on her face.

"**And on that, you're right. Just know that Naruto hasn't gotten those particular abilities yet, so it's only a one sided thing for the time being. I hope you get the general idea so far."**

"I know what they both do. As to why you're included, I don't know."

"**As Shikamaru put it, though we are not the same, we are one. Therefore, I know what he thinks, and if you can tell him something through thought alone, I can hear it as well. Of course, until he can use it himself, if you contact me like that, he won't hear a thing."** Hinata nodded, as did Kakashi. Sasuke was still a little confused.

"Uh, why is Naruto-niisan talking like that? I mean, it's kind of weird." Inari asked.

"**Because in a sense, I am Naruto, but at the same time, not Naruto. It's confusing for someone of your age, so I won't go into detail on that."**

Inari blinked 3 times, and then nodded. "Now I get it. You're not Naruto-niisan talking, but someone else talking through him."

"**Did not see that coming."** Everyone looked at Akane for a full minute. **"What? I didn't expect him to understand it that quickly. I mean, the concept was hard for Naruto to grasp, and he and I shared a mind link naturally for 4 years when I explained it."**

Hinata just nodded. "Well, he is extremely dense. Especially in most relationships."

"**Nah, he isn't, he just doesn't want to admit it. Through said link I know how he feels about certain people. Everyone here is on good terms, but every now and then, his mind wanders to 2 places in particular. Suna and Kumo, to be more precise."**

"Why am I not surprised?" Kakashi asked, though no one answered. "I'm willing to bet that there are people in particular that his mind wanders to in those places?"

"**Yes, and I think you know who as well."**

"Gaara, Yugito, and Kirabi, correct?"

"**Spot on. Still, he knows that Kirabi can handle himself, and Yugito is training under him. Gaara, however, he worries about more, being as he was always alone, and without him, Gaara might have gone insane."**

"If something highly traumatizing gets to him, he won't be the same until they meet each other again." Kakashi stated. "If that happens, hopefully they remember that promise they made."

"Kakashi-sensei?" Hinata asked, suddenly curious. "What exactly did they promise each other?"

"I think we should let Naruto handle this one."

"**Not tonight. We have 3 days until they strike, but that will be everything. Tomorrow evening, he'll explain."**

Everyone nodded. **"Anyway, we're going to the roof. It's a lot better than the room, and we both tend to like watching the stars every now and then. I think the trip caused that."**

Kakashi nodded, and Naruto fazed out.

"Anyone else bugged by that other person with Naruto's body?" Tsunami asked.

00000x00000

Chapter End

Don't ask me why this ended the way it did. I just got a review saying to post the next chapter, and tried finishing it up. Something I figured would be a good idea, however, I just didn't know where to go, as usual.

So, I just started typing, letting my hands roam on their own. They do that, things turn out better. Still, this one is best worked on during a Paperwork Influx, which unfortunately, or fortunately in my personal opinion, I don't have.

Seriously, that shit is annoying as hell!

At least it gives me a good enough distraction to not focus on the typing, and focus on a boring subject, which kind of gives me an edge. Some say to focus on the task at hand, while I do something differently.

For me, winging it works better than planning things out when it comes to typing. Seriously, though. So you know, the first 3 chapters of this story was typed up in one day. Almost 10 hours, including maybe 30 minutes twice for meals, and I got the first 3 chapters done, thanks to Paperwork Influx.

Take that tidbit of info into account if you wish to criticize my method of uploading. Chapter 5 has a bit less of a detailed explanation, but this story was started on the second day.

I can honestly say that I love to keep myself guessing in my stories. It helps me wonder what's going to happen next, but everything seems to follow a set pattern, that I don't realize until I look back on it, something I don't really like doing, but when I think back, I realize one thing leads to another, and then another, and when I finally realize what's going on, it's already happened.

It's a shame that some don't like a massive update. Well, I just got this to say:

I don't care if the update is big or not. If I can update, more likely than not, I will, unless I'm too caught up doing something else... which is mainly reading.


	8. Sorry!

I'm sorry to inform you but this story is hereby DISCONTINUED!

There is reason for this, and if you wish to find out what they were, then head to my profile as the reasoning is there.

If you wish to adopt this story, send a PM, and I will send you the chapters to make any changes that you wish, starting from the beginning, this includes OCs, if you want them.

**Once again, THIS STORY IS DISCONTINUED!**


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